Hanging By a Thread
by Solar Winded Flare
Summary: Three years after the Professor's untimely death, the Powerpuffs are still struggling to cope with his absence when the Rowdyruff boys return. The boys aren't quite human, and they seem to be a lot stronger than before. What will the girls do when the boys catch up to them? What are their motives, and who's been stalking Blossom late at night?
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hi! I'm pretty new to the PPG fandom, so please be kind, as this is the first story I'm contributing to it! :)**

**I hope you enjoy my story, and please leave a review! Sorry if there are any mistakes.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Powerpuff Girls or any of the characters.**

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**Prologue**

Everything went to shit three years ago.

The Professor left home to visit a friend of his. Naturally, with my good leading skills and my sisters' maturity, the Professor trusted us. We were left to take care of the house and continue going to school. The Professor figured he'd only be gone for a week and then he'd come straight home.

Bubbles, Buttercup, and I were fine. We split up the list of daily chores equally, cooked and cleaned without complaint, and we kept our grades up. As fourteen year-old girls, we were doing pretty well to keep things together and stable while our father was away.

But then... we got _that_ phone call.

The Professor had been in a car accident, just barely making it out alive. When my sisters and I learned of this, we didn't know what to do. None of us had any idea where the Professor was, as he never told us where he was going and our telephone didn't have caller ID.

Townsville was friendly, not high-tech.

Bubbles couldn't stop crying. Buttercup had this blank expression on her normally-angry face; she wasn't sure what to say or do. It was hard for me to put on a brave face for my sisters when all I wanted to do was burst into tears.

I was worried. The man who loved us, who we considered to be our father, and the chance that he could die...

We hoped and prayed (even Buttercup, who isn't all that religious, got down on her knees and prayed) that the Professor would be okay, that he'd wake up from his painkiller-induced coma. He'd come back with hugs and kisses and stories about his trip.

And then we would all breathe a sigh of relief and hug him and we'd all go into the kitchen to prepare a nice welcome-back dinner for him.

But when you're no longer a naive child and the rose-colored glasses are gone, the world is different.

The call we got was not a report of improved health. The Professor would not be coming home to give us hugs and kisses and stories.

No.

The Professor was _dead_.

He didn't even make it through the night.

Poor Bubbles cried her eyes out for days. She held onto her beloved Octi like a lifeline. It was, after all, the first present she ever received from the Professor.

Buttercup reacted in a more explosive manner. She screamed through her tears, throwing anything she could get her hands on. She even punched a hole in the living room wall, the force of it making the house nearly collapse. It took a lot to calm her down.

And me? Well, I'm not sure what to say about how I dealt with his death. I'm numb. I don't feel much of anything anymore.

We were able to keep the house due to the fact that we were known as the Powerpuff Girls, the ones who kept the city of Townsville safe and drove out every villain. I inherited the Professor's bank account, since he knew he could trust me to take care of any financial matters that might arise, whether it be house bills or medical bills. Most of the money we received went towards his funeral.

Since Bubbles had the hardest time accepting Professor's death, Buttercup and I took it upon ourselves to get part-time jobs.

That was three years ago.

Now? We're doing well, I suppose. We hate our high school (Citysville High), but Bubbles joined the cheerleading squad, Buttercup's part of the soccer team, and I'm in the school's student government council as well as the math team. After the Professor's death, we didn't use our powers as much, so we figured we'd try to make a normal image for ourselves at school.

But there's another problem, you see, and it's not just the fact that the Utonium girls are viewed as freaks in Citysville High.

Something's coming. I can feel it in my bones.

I just wish I knew _what_ it was. My sisters are all I have left, and I'm fighting to keep our broken family together.

And if something happens to them, I'm not sure there will be anything left to fight for.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own the PPG or any characters. I'm just a hopeless fan lol XD**

**Chapter 1**

**Buttercup's POV**

I stared at the notebook in front of me and forced my eyes to go over every detail.

There was no way I could fail that test tomorrow; Blossom promised me I could borrow the car this weekend if I got an 80 or above on this freaking test. Mitch and I already had plans to hang out at the movies on Saturday; there was no way I was bailing on him.

A knock at the door tore my attention away from my notes.

"Buttercup?" It was Bubbles, no doubt.

"Yeah?"

"Blossom said that dinner's ready. Are you coming down to eat with us?"

"Yeah, be down in a sec," I replied. I heard her walk away.

Sheesh. Ever since the... uh... the _accident_, she's been so quiet. I mean, Bubbles has always been a little shy, but now she just doesn't talk.

You would think that cheerleading and having lots of friends would pull her right out of her shell, but not really. In school she's miss popularity; at home, she's a hermit.

I'm surprised our old friend Robin is able to get her to sleep over and go to the mall and stuff.

I returned my attention to my notes and looked them over for the umpteenth time.

_Ugh, how does Blossom do this?_ I thought impatiently. _Studying is so freaking boring._

Finally, I gave up and chucked the notebook into my backpack.

_Eh, I could always get some cram time in tomorrow. No biggie._

I went downstairs and the smell of chicken hit me in the face. Blossom and Bubbles both had their hair up while they were working; Blossom was slaving over the stove and Bubbles was setting up the table.

"Need help?" I asked. Blossom looked up; God, she looked so tired. If anyone needed a break around here, it was her.

"Yeah," she breathed. "Thanks."

She pulled out a chair and sat down, wiping sweat off her brow.

Honestly, I don't feel bad for _anybody_, but I really feel bad for Blossom.

After the accident, she completely picked up the slack and took charge.

She took care of the funeral arrangements, she manages the house bills and stuff, and she's always there when Bubbles or I need her.

She doesn't really get much sleep. She works at a clothing store and they're pretty merciless when it comes to her schedule. But somehow, Blossom manages to fit in study time.

My sister's stronger than I ever thought she was. Blossom was always the leader, but in the face of something this extreme, the death of our dad, she still managed to keep things stable.

It's weird, though. Blossom doesn't show any emotion anymore. It's like she completely shut off her emotions.

Which isn't a good thing; the assholes at Citysville High call her an ice queen behind her back. They know that we lost our dad and they think it's hilarious. Well, the ones who _haven't_ gotten punched by me think it's hilarious, anyway.

When dinner was done, Bubbles and I served it.

No one spoke. All three of us ate in silence.

Usually, the Professor would ask each of us about our day, but now... well, let's just say the kitchen no longer seems like the heart of the house.

Everything is just quiet, _too freaking quiet_, and it's depressing as all hell. It pisses me off.

The Professor wouldn't want us to be all sad and mopey! He'd want us to keep our heads up and move forward!

"So, I'm going to hang out with Mitch this weekend," I announced, breaking the silence. "And we're going to see a movie."

Bubbles looked up. She doesn't usually eat a lot and ends up wrapping up any leftover food for later. From the looks of it, she would have a whole plate-full to look forward to tomorrow.

"Oh. What movie are you guys going to see?"

"Um... Well, I don't know," I admitted. "But hopefully my loser of a best friend has some idea. What about you, Blossom?"

Blossom caught on to my attempt to stir up a conversation.

"I was going to stay home and put on a movie," she replied. "And I was thinking of painting my nails."

I nodded. "And what about you, Bubbles?"

The blonde looked up. "Huh? Oh... Well, Robin and I were going to go to the mall. She wanted to get a new dress for the homecoming dance."

I forced a smile. Clothes aren't really my favorite topic to talk about, but Bubbles is the clothing diva out of the three of us. If there's anything she loves blathering on about, it's the latest styles.

"Are you getting a dress?"

She nodded, a small smile on her face. "My other dress is too small, and I don't like the color. I want to get something simple this year. Maybe a blue dress and black heels?"

Blossom took another bite of chicken before she cocked her head to the side. A sign she was thinking.

"You know, we should _all_ go to the dance," she said. "It'd be nice to get out of here for the night."

Irritation bubbled up in my chest. _What, and listen to all those bitches talk about us behind our backs? How we're ugly freaks and all that?_

"I don't think I'll be going," I stated. "Dresses and shoes and makeup? Not my kind of scene."

Blossom giggled. "I had a feeling you'd say no. I think I might go to the dance."

For the first time in a while, Bubbles' eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Sure. I'll tag along with you and Robin on Saturday. You guys don't mind, right?"

"No, that's great! I'm gonna go call Robin right now!"

The blonde flew out of her chair, leaving a light blue streak behind her.

Blossom smiled at me appreciatively.

"Thank you."

I waved my fork. "No problem. I just want things to go back to the way they were, you know?"

Blossom sighed. "I know, but things won't ever be the same. You know that."

"The Professor wouldn't want us to be sad," I countered. "He would want us to be happy and to keep going, no matter how much it hurts."

She got up to put her plate in the sink. "We're all trying to do our best, Buttercup."

I got up to do the same. "I'm not saying anything against you; I just meant that things shouldn't be so gloomy around here. We all have each other, don't we? Things could be much worse."

"Much worse how?" Blossom locked eyes with me.

_Well, the Professor could be... Oh. Never mind._

My brain didn't wanna work. I thought for a second.

"One of our enemies could come back."

She shrugged, her long hair bouncing slightly. "I suppose."

Suddenly, a rock flew through the window. It was decent-sized. Someone obviously had a death wish; throwing a stone into the Powerpuff home was unheard of. Everyone knew not to piss me off.

Before Blossom could stop me, I flew outside to the back yard. I made two complete trips around the house, but no one was there.

_Huh. Weird._

As I went back into the house, I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong...

My stomach churned uneasily. Something was definitely going on.

When I got back to the kitchen, Blossom gave me a concerned look.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Probably some idiot kid."

I tried to shrug off the foreboding feeling that something was coming.

No villain dared set foot in Townsvillel; why would they return now?

I was probably just cracking up. Yeah; that's what it was. Studying isn't always good for the brain, especially when you've got other things to worry about.

I helped Blossom clean up before I went back to my room and put my headphones on. With that, I drowned out the world.

**What do you think so far? :)**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the review, cococandy21! And thanks for the favs and follows! :)**

**Sorry for any mistakes. I'm not perfect :P**

**Oh, and I changed the chapter names. So hopefully there's no confusion about that.**

**I don't own the Powerpuff girls or any of the characters.**

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**Chapter 2**

**Bubbles' POV**

"I hate high school," I mumbled, slipping my backpack on. Blossom smiled sympathetically.

"I do, too, but it's our last year," she replied. "Then we don't have to worry about Citysville ever again."

"Can I stay home?" I asked. "I don't feel too well."

Blossom sighed. "Bubbles, you can't stay home every day."

I stared at my feet. I knew I couldn't just take the whole year off, but I hated school.

It was always the same thing. The other kids would make fun of me and call me ugly and weird and it _hurt_. Buttercup wasn't always there to threaten them with her fists, and I didn't like to stand up against them because it'd probably result in a fight.

I didn't want to fight; I just wanted to be left alone.

"Okay."

Blossom placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Come on. We're going to be late."

I reluctantly followed her out to the car where Buttercup was waiting. She was tapping her fingers against the driving wheel.

Blossom sat in the passenger's seat while I sat in the back. As Buttercup pulled out of the driveway and began to drive towards Citysville, the familiar silence settled over all three of us.

I missed the Professor a lot. I thought about him every day and I always wondered if maybe we could have saved him if only we went with him that day.

I remember that day so clearly. He gave us each a hug and kiss and promised to be back as soon as possible, that he just wanted to visit a good friend who just got back from a trip to Europe.

And he asked if we'd like to come along. Blossom insisted we had school, Buttercup complained that Mitch would throw a fit if she cancelled plans with him last minute, and I told him that we'd be fine here on our own. I wanted him to have a good time and take a mini-vacation without having to worry about us.

Maybe if we had gone with him we could have helped him avoid the accident.

_Maybe, maybe, maybe..._

I happened to catch a glimpse of myself in the rear view mirror and I realized I hadn't put on any makeup this morning. I don't usually like wearing makeup, but it helps me fit in with the other cheerleaders; they all wear makeup.

"Hey, Blossom?" I managed to say. I didn't talk much anymore; there wasn't much for me to say.

She was staring out the window thoughtfully. She was probably too lost in her thoughts to hear me.

"Blossom?" I tried again. No luck. Buttercup heard me, though.

"Leader girl," she said. Blossom immediately turned at her nickname. "Bubbles wants you."

Blossom turned, an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry. What's up?"

"Can you do my makeup when we get to school?" She was always so good at applying makeup; my hands shook too much and I usually ended up poking my eye.

"Sure. I only have pink eye shadow, though; is that okay?"

I nodded. Anything was better than hearing the other girls talk about my lack of makeup.

When we finally got to school, we were greeted with balled-up papers being thrown at us and the word 'freak' being shouted at us. It used to hurt me, but I've gotten used to it.

Buttercup lost her temper and shoved one of the boys when a pencil hit her right in the face. Blossom narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything; Buttercup would probably get lectured for her behavior when we got home.

"See you guys later," Buttercup mumbled. She walked off to her locker. Blossom placed a hand on my shoulder.

We walked to the bathroom, where Blossom instructed me to close my eyes. I heard her rummage through her bag before I felt eye shadow being applied.

"Okay," she said. "Open your eyes."

I obliged and she applied a thin line of eyeliner. Blossom stood back and smiled.

"All right. You're good."

I looked at the mirror and smiled. Even though I preferred blue, I didn't mind pink.

"Thanks!" I hugged her. Blossom laughed.

"No problem. I'll try to buy more blue tomorrow, okay?"

Just as we were about to leave, a group of girls came parading in. It was Bree, the most popular girl in Citysville High, and her friends. They were gossiping about God-knows-what when they caught sight of me and Blossom.

"Oh, if it isn't the freak and the nerd," Bree sneered, giving us disgusted looks.

Blossom rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Come on, Bubbles, we'd better get to class."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me along. I sighed in relief.

"Thanks. I hate it when she calls me a freak."

"She's just jealous of you," Blossom replied. "I wouldn't take her words to heart. She's not the brightest crayon in the box, you know."

I didn't know what to say, so I just stayed quiet. When we finally got to English, the bell rang.

We just barely made it on time.

"All right, class, please take your seats," Ms. Morris said, clapping her hands to get our attention. "We have a lot to do today, so let's get started right away."

I tuned out her words as I began to doodle in my notebook. Just as I was completing a few flowers, the door opened.

In stepped Robin, her short brown hair messy and her eyes half-closed. She looked like she just woke up; knowing her, she probably did. Robin liked to sleep.

"Ah, so good of you to join us today, Robin," Ms. Morris greeted sarcastically.

"Good to be here," Robin replied with a yawn. She began to stroll over to the seat next to me.

"One more late and you're getting detention."

"Yeah, I know. Won't happen again."

With a roll of her eyes, the teacher continued the lesson. Robin nudged me.

"Hey. What's new?"

"Not much," I whispered back. "Did you sleep in again?"

She yawned. "Freaking alarm is always trying to sabotage my beautiful dreams. I'll have you know I had a dream I was eating all the pizza in the world. If my stupid alarm didn't go off, I would have worked my way up to the mountains of ice cream and brownies waiting for me."

I giggled. "You and food. I'm sorry, but I think you've got an addiction."

She smirked. "It's an epic addiction."

"Robin!" Ms. Morris glared at the girl. "Detention!"

My crazy best friend groaned. "Seriously?"

We both began to write the notes that were on the board. Right in the middle of the sentence, my pen stopped working. I opened up my backpack and started to look for another pen when I froze.

"Hey, Bubbles."

I sat up and looked around. Robin was busy writing and Blossom was quietly discussing something with the teacher. Everyone else was focused on jotting down the notes.

So who had whispered my name?

I returned my attention to my backpack and managed to find a pencil.

"Better watch yourself, Blondie," the voice chuckled in my ear. I shot up in my seat. A few people turned to look at me. Even Robin looked at me skeptically.

"You okay?" Robin asked.

I nodded. "Yeah."

Blossom shot me a look that clearly asked the same thing. I shrugged at her.

I was probably going crazy.

With a sigh, I continued to write the notes down.

But... Well, it was weird.

I felt like I was being watched.

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**Gee, I wonder who could be watching her? ;)**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't own anything. The Powerpuff Girls belong to Craig McCracken.**

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**Chapter 3**

**Blossom's POV**

My head was spinning by the time the Math Team meeting let out. I didn't mind solving complex equations, but today I was just too tired to even process mathematical challenges. My mind was begging for sleep.

Last night, it felt like someone was watching me. Every time I closed my eyes, I could have sworn I heard something moving about.

Well... Something or some_one_.

Maybe there was a break in? Or maybe we had mice?

No; couldn't be the latter. Bubbles, Buttercup, and I busted our butts keeping the house clean and pest-free. There's no way a rodent could get in.

But who knows? Maybe I was just hearing things. Sleep deprivation will make your mind think things are there when you're actually alone.

Besides, no one in their right minds would break into the Powerpuff home and attempt to sneak up on one of the Powerpuff girls. That's just asking for it.

"Hey, Blossom."

I turned to see Buttercup. She had a hand in her sweatshirt pocket, a sign she'd gotten into a fight and bloodied her knuckles. I sighed.

"Who'd you fight with this time?"

"Damn it! How do you always know?"

I gave her a pointed look. "Buttercup."

She swore under her breath. "Okay, okay. It was Bree. She was talking shit about Bubbles again, so I gave her a reason to keep her mouth shut."

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. _I swear, Buttercup can be so thoughtless at times._

"So I'm assuming that you're suspended again?"

"Nope." She popped the 'p'.

That surprised me. I opened my eyes to see her smirking.

"How?" I asked. "Usually Bree would have sobbed all the way to the principal's office."

Buttercup's smirk grew dark. "Not if she's threatened properly."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "You're insane, you know that?"

"Hey, Bubbles may be a pain in the ass, but she's still my sister. No one's allowed to make her cry unless it's me," she joked.

I shook my head. "Yeah, yeah. Come on, let's go to the gym. Cheer practice should be over by now."

We walked towards the gymnasium only to see Bubbles waiting by the front doors. She was sobbing into her hands.

Buttercup and I exchanged a worried glance.

What had the girls said to Bubbles this time?

Upon looking up, the blonde rushed into my arms and buried her face into my shoulder. I wrapped her in a hug and patted her back in a soothing manner.

"What happened?" I asked.

"B-Bree and her friends, t-t-they..."

She hiccuped a few times before she was able to calm herself down.

"... They called me a slut a-and..."

It was then that I noticed the mark on Bubbles' cheek. It was starting to turn purple.

"They _punched_ you?!" Buttercup bellowed. She began to breathe harshly, her fists clenching and unclenching.

I sighed. "We'll deal with this later. Right now, I think we should -"

"No, I'm tired of sitting back and letting people beat on us!" Buttercup raged. She stormed into the gym. The sounds of slapping and punching bounced off the walls.

"Wait here, Bubbles."

I flew into the room. Buttercup was sitting on top of Bree and punching her over and over again. Blood was squirting out of Bree's nose and she was crying.

"Buttercup, stop!" I grabbed her by the shoulders and tried to pull her off the girl, but she wouldn't budge. Finally, I shoved her off of Bree.

Buttercup rolled off and smacked her head against the floor. She groaned.

"Bloss, what the hell?"

I stared at Bree. "And as for you!"

She looked up at me fearfully.

"If you ever mess with Bubbles again, I won't stop Buttercup the next time she starts beating you. Do you understand?"

Bree nodded. She reached up to wipe blood from her nose.

"Good."

Buttercup got up and rubbed the back of her head. "Sheesh, that hurt."

"Well, stop being so damn reckless and I won't have to do things like that!" I yelled. She was such a freaking idiot at times.

Buttercup muttered under her breath, but she didn't say anything else. We exited the gym and helped Bubbles to the car. The drive home was quiet, save for the soft sniffles coming from Bubbles.

As punishment, Buttercup had the chore of making dinner and setting the table. I helped Bubbles cheer up by letting her put on one of her favorite movies and sitting with her while she watched it. We didn't talk much during the movie, but I cracked jokes here and there to try to get her to laugh.

When we all sat down to eat, that's when things got messy.

"I wish you'd have let me beat the shit out of her," Buttercup remarked. "You know damn well that bitch deserved every punch."

Bubbles winced when I slammed my fork down onto the table.

"And I wish you'd stop being so damn stupid! We're practically adults, Buttercup, and you can't just go around punching people when you feel like it! There are consequences!"

"Oh, so people can go around beating on Bubbles and calling us names, but if I do something to stop them,_ I'm_ the bad guy?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. There are better ways to deal with those people than just beat the crap out of them."

She gave me a funny look. "Oh? Like what?"

"Ignore them." I stabbed a few pieces of lettuce and popped them into my mouth. "They'll get bored and eventually, they'll stop."

"We've been trying that ever since we started going to high school!" Buttercup spat. "They obviously need to be put in their place!"

"Stop it!" Bubbles cried. Buttercup and I looked at her, startled.

Her big blue eyes were filled with tears.

"Aw, shucks, Bubbles, don't cry," Buttercup tried, but Bubbles shook her head.

"Look, they aren't worth fighting over," she said. "And we shouldn't be fighting each other over what they do. We should be sticking together against them."

I nodded. "I know that, but if little miss hot-temper would cool it, we wouldn't be such big targets."

"What did you say?" Steam practically left Buttercup's ears.

"STOP!"

Bubbles stood up. Her tears were gone and replaced by anger. "Just shut up! Buttercup, I appreciate what you did today, but Blossom's right. You can't just fight everyone who makes you mad. You need to control your temper better."

Our black-haired sister leaned back in her chair and grumbled under her breath.

"And Blossom," Bubbles turned on me. "Ignoring people is not always the answer. Buttercup's right; things have only gotten worse over the years. We need to stand up for ourselves."

I sighed. "What do you think we should do, then?"

"Well," Bubbles started, then looked down. "Maybe we should... um... I don't know..."

"You know what? We should worry about all this tomorrow," I said. I took my plate to the sink. "We'll figure something out, whether it's getting the principal involved or something else. Let's all just relax and appreciate the fact that we're home, safe and sound."

Bubbles and Buttercup washed their plates as well. We all went upstairs to our room (the Professor's room was off-limits. It was just too painful to walk in there and see all his stuff there, waiting for him to come back when he's obviously... um... never mind) and got ready for bed.

Our bed was able to split up into three separate beds, and when we reached our teen years, that's when we decided to change things.

Bubbles' bed was near the windows, as was mine, our beds across from each other, and Buttercup's bed was near the door. We still liked our respective colors and still wore matching outfits sometimes.

Hey, just because we're adults doesn't mean we aren't still the infamous Powerpuff girls.

As I was beginning to fall asleep, I felt cool lips brush against the back of my neck.

"Good night, Pinky."

That's when my eyes snapped open and I came face-to-face with gleaming red eyes.


	5. Chapter 4

**To A.M. Rouss : Thanks for your reviews! And I'm sorry that you had to go through that. Kids can really be cruel. I used to like to be left alone, too and I suffered through harsh comments and bullying. But it's made me stronger, and I hope that it's made you a stronger person as well =)**

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**Chapter 4**

**Buttercup's POV**

"Oh my God!" Blossom screamed.

I immediately sat up.

"Wha'sa matter?" I slurred. I had just fallen asleep when Blossom let out a blood-curdling scream.

Bubbles turned the light on. "Blossom?"

Our red-haired sister was sitting upright, hand on her chest, trying to calm her breathing. She was as white as a ghost.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Blossom let out a long breath. "No. Worse."

"What do you mean?" Bubbles inquired.

Blossom bit her lip. "You'll think I'm crazy."

"Try us," Bubbles replied. "You're probably the sanest out of the three of us."

I nodded in agreement. Blossom was the one thing keeping our broken family together.

"Well, I... I saw something," Blossom said. "In the dark."

Bubbles' eyes widened. She crushed her stuffed animal to her chest.

"A monster?"

"Sort of." Blossom swung her legs over the side of her bed and buried her face in her hands. She let out a shuddering sigh.

"Just spill it," I said, yawning. "It can't be all that bad."

"I think I saw Brick."

An eerie chill ran down my spine. Bubbles grew pale.

"Brick? You mean a Rowdyruff?" I asked.

Blossom nodded.

The Rowdyruff boys disappeared years ago. No one knows what happened to them and, honestly, no one really cared.

"And I heard him speak," Blossom continued. "He said 'good night, Pinky'."

_Yep. That's Brick all right._

"Are you sure it wasn't a dream?" I asked. "Maybe you dreamed you heard his voice?"

But the frightened look on Blossom's face told me it was not a dream.

What she saw and heard was the real deal.

Bubbles lowered her eyes. "W-well, I thought I heard Boomer today."

Again, a chill ran down my spine.

What if they really _were_ back?

"I haven't heard anything or seen anything," I stated. "And you know Butch; he's crazy."

If crazy described unstable, psychopathic behavior, that is.

Bubbles looked up from her stuffed animal.

"Maybe because he knows you'll beat the crap out of him if he tries anything," she suggested. I bit my lip.

Obviously, Butch wasn't going to try to make his appearance known like his brothers did to Bubbles and Blossom. If he's anything like me, considering we're counterparts and all that, he'll do something when I least expect it. When someone royally pisses me off, I try to make my revenge as unforgettable as possible.

What can I say? I have a nasty temper.

"I'm not going to school tomorrow," I announced. Blossom cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Why?"

"I want to keep an eye on the house," I explained. "We don't need it exploding or mysteriously catching on fire while we're at school."

Bubbles nodded. "I want to stay home, too. Everyone will make fun of my bruise."

Blossom sighed. "Well, I guess all three of us will be playing hooky tomorrow. I don't exactly want to be caught alone if the Ruffs are running amok."

The silence that followed was one of unease. Blossom, Bubbles, and I exchanged glances.

"You know, I think we should move our beds back together," I suggested. "If the boys really are back, I don't want to be caught off-guard."

Blossom nodded in agreement. "And if one of us ends up in trouble, the other two will immediately wake up."

We moved our beds back together, with Bubbles taking the middle. We decided to sleep with the lights on, but it didn't make much of a difference.

Every sound was a Rowdyruff, every moving shadow was one of the boys ready to attack.

By the time it was four in the morning, Bubbles and Blossom had passed out, leaving me the only one awake.

Slowly, but surely, I surrendered to my own exhaustion.


	6. Chapter 5

**To A.M. Rouss: No, that's all right, lol it's definitely made me a stronger person. And I'm sorry if Bubbles' bad experience brought back those memories. I'm going into 12th too! :D Oh, and thanks for reviewing! :)**

**To EpixPhoenixDeez: Okay, thanks for reviewing!**

**I don't own the PPG. That honor goes to Craig McCracken.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Bubbles' POV**

I woke up first.

Blossom was still sleeping and Buttercup looked like she'd just fallen asleep. There were dark circles under her eyes.

I got up and grabbed an outfit before walking into the bathroom to get myself ready for the day. There was no rush, of course; none of us were going to school today.

When I was just finishing up, there was a knock on the door.

"Bubbles?" It was Blossom.

"Yeah?" I set my hairbrush down. I decided to leave my hair down today; usually I put it up in a ponytail.

"Are you almost done?"

I took one last look at myself in the mirror before opening the door. Blossom had major bed-head and she was in the middle of a yawn.

"The bathroom is all yours," I said. She chuckled.

"Thanks."

I went downstairs into the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. Once I had finished pouring milk into my cereal, Blossom joined me. Her mane of red hair was up in a messy ponytail and she looked more awake.

It's amazing how a few cold splashes of water to the face can wake a person up.

"Did you get any sleep?" Blossom asked. She opened up one of the cabinets and pulled out one of the Professor's coffee mugs. It was the one he always used to use when he was working in the lab.

We all had little things of the Professor's. Blossom always used his coffee mug, I still held onto Octi whenever I became upset, and Buttercup still had her green security blanket. Even though these were just material possessions, they still meant a great deal to us.

We still missed our daddy... A lot... And I know it killed my sisters just as much as it killed me to know that he was never coming back. We would never see him again.

I didn't realize tears were building behind my eyes until my vision grew too blurry to see.

I quickly shook those depressing thoughts away. Sure, we may never get to see the Professor again, but he was still with us, right? He'd always be there with us, we just couldn't hear him or see him anymore.

Right?

Blossom finished making tea and poured it into the mug. The sound of the rich liquid splashing against the ceramic cup pulled me from my thoughts. I remembered that she'd asked me a question.

"Somewhat, but it was a very light sleep," I replied. "I was half-awake and half-asleep. I thought one of the Ruffs would attack while we were all sleeping."

"I thought about that before I fell asleep," Blossom said, lifting the mug to her lips. "And I think Brick let himself be caught so that we would all get paranoid and lose sleep. We wouldn't be in good condition to fight if we needed to."

I nodded. "I didn't even think of that. That's... clever considering they're the Rowdyruff boys."

Blossom didn't reply. She looked at the sliding doors that led to our backyard.

A few thumps signaled Buttercup was awake. Within a minute or so, she sauntered into the kitchen.

"Hey," she mumbled. Her hair was a tangled mess.

"I'm guessing you were up all night," Blossom commented. Buttercup groaned.

"I fell asleep around four," she replied. "I'm tired."

She opened the fridge and grabbed a can of Coke. She cracked it open and took a long sip.

"Well, we've got a three-day weekend," I said, trying to make things seem brighter. "And we're going to the mall tomorrow with Robin, right Blossom?"

She nodded. "Right. And today we can just relax, take it easy. I have off this weekend, but I have to go into work this afternoon."

We all gravitated towards the living room and put on a movie. During the first half, Buttercup went upstairs to clean herself up and Blossom ended up going into the kitchen to make herself lunch for when she had to go to work.

But when the movie was halfway done, Blossom and Buttercup joined me with a big bowl of popcorn and we ended up dying laughing over some comment Buttercup muttered under her breath.

Finally, when two-thirty came around, Blossom left to go to work.

As Buttercup took over the television to play video games, I decided to make macaroni and cheese for dinner.

While I was cooking, I couldn't help but feel like someone was watching me.

I had a really bad feeling in my gut.

_Please let Blossom get home okay_, I thought. She was the leader, and if something happened to her, well, I wouldn't know what to do. Buttercup could lead, but she was very bull-headed.

_Please let Blossom be okay._

* * *

**Things are going to heat up next chapter ;)**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Blossom's POV**

"But this coupon should still be good!"

"Ma'am, this coupon expired two years ago," I replied. Goodness, why couldn't this lady just accept that her coupon was invalid and pay for her stuff? And if she couldn't pay for her stuff, then why couldn't she just leave?

"There's no way!" she persisted. "Where's your manager, Missy? I'd like a word with him!"

I sighed. "Pete?"

"Right here." He strode over towards the woman and pulled her to the side. When she turned her back to me, I shot Pete a grateful smile. I rang up the remaining customers of the night. Some of them shot me sympathetic looks.

By the time I was closing down the register, the woman was still going off on Pete, even shouting insults. I even heard her refer to me as 'that red-headed hussy'.

I rubbed my temples.

_Good grief._

Eventually, though, she gave up and left, leaving the clothes she'd almost purchased behind.

Pete let out a long sigh. "Man, that was a headache."

"Sorry." I shot him an apologetic smile. Pete waved it off.

"No problem. Hey, you should probably get going; it's my turn to close up tonight."

I blushed. "Are you sure?"

"It's a Friday night," he said, winking. "Pretty girls like you should go out and have fun. Don't worry about me; I'll close everything up tonight. Go have fun, okay?"

"Thanks," I replied. I walked over and gave him a quick hug. Pete smelled so nice; I almost didn't want to let him go.

We'd been friends ever since I started working here. I guess you could say I kind of had a crush on him. He's always been there for me and he always knew how to make me laugh.

He returned the hug and then let me go.

"See you Monday, Bloss."

"Bye, Pete." I couldn't help but blush.

Pete's such an amazing guy. Too bad I had too much on my plate to even think about having a boyfriend.

I went to the back room and grabbed my bag. Just as I slung it over my shoulder, I got this sick feeling in my stomach.

Something was wrong.

_Okay_, I thought, taking in my surroundings. _Just be on your guard and be aware of your surroundings._

I left the back room and went out to the employee parking lot. It was practically empty, save for the Professor's old car and Pete's Mustang.

I had just started walking to my car when I heard a throat clear behind me.

"I think you forgot to kiss your little boyfriend good night, _Pinky_."

I tensed.

_Brick._

"So, you decided to show yourself," I snapped. I turned to face him.

His reddish hair was still long, but it was held back by his red cap. His arms were folded over his chest and the red T-shirt showed off a little muscle. His black jeans were slightly ripped, but that was just the style these days.

Brick was _hot._

Wait, what am I thinking?! He's not hot!

He's evil. _Pete_ is hot.

"Well, it _was_ fun messing with you guys," he admitted, his mouth turning up into a sarcastic smirk. "Especially when you screamed your head off last night. You sound really pretty when you scream."

I shot him the nastiest glare I could manage.

I've been so tired and depressed lately. I just didn't even feel anything anymore. It was a chore just to glare.

"What do you want, Brick?" I spat. "If you're looking to freak me and my sisters out, you're out of luck. We're not stupid and we know what type of stuff you and your moronic brothers pull. So kindly leave us alone, because I will not hesitate to fight you if you continue to bother us."

"Big threat, there, Blossy." He rolled his eyes. "But you're wrong. I'm not looking to freak you or your sisters out. I've come back to claim what's mine."

He stepped off the wall and began to approach me. I stood my ground, my chin slightly raised to show my defiance.

Whatever he was going to do, I was ready.

Imagine my surprise when Brick suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into his chest.

He rested his head on top of mine. The boy was probably my age and yet he towered over me by at least two inches.

"W-what are you doing?" I asked. Where was the cheap shot I was expecting?

"My brothers and I have different plans for you and your sisters, Blossom," he whispered in my ear. I winced at the huskiness of his voice.

"Plans? What are you talking about?"

Brick grinned, revealing two abnormally-long canines. He began to lean into my neck when I decided I'd had enough.

I brought my knee up sharply into his most sensitive area. Brick hissed and bent over to clutch his hurt manhood when I brought my foot up and it connected with his side. He went sprawling across the parking lot, landing in a few bushes.

I dusted off my jeans before I rolled my shoulders back.

It'd been years since I'd fought anyone, but I still knew how to send someone packing.

I was a Powerpuff girl. I could handle any enemy.

I had no idea what Brick was going to do, but I didn't like the sound of it. I had to get back to my sisters as soon as possible.

Speak of the handsome devil, Brick groaned. He sat up and rubbed his head.

"What the fuck, Blossom?"

"I don't know what you want with me and my sisters," I growled. "But I won't stand here and let you play mind games with me. I want you and your brothers to leave me and my sisters alone for good. Stay out of our lives."

An animalistic snarl escaped his throat. It made my stomach churn uneasily.

"Bad move, Pinky," he warned. Suddenly, with inhuman speed (and I do mean inhuman speed; I'm a superhuman and he was way faster than me!), he lunged at me and tackled me to the ground. We rolled, struggling with each other, before he had me pinned against the asphalt.

"Get off!" I screamed. I thrashed underneath his grip. I went to thrust my knee up when he sat down on my waist.

"Don't worry," he said. "You'll see your sisters very soon. Maybe we'll even let them live." There was a dark glint in his eye; it made me want to crawl under a rock and hide.

"Don't you touch them!"

"Too late, Pinky." He stroked my cheek. I turned my face away, not wanting to look at the arrogant bastard any more than was necessary. Brick grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him.

"We need you and your sisters, now more than ever. And you're the perfect bait to bring Bubbles and Buttercup right to us."

"Wha-" My word was cut off.

I screamed when he revealed those unusually-sharp fangs and plunged them into my neck.

That was when everything went black.

* * *

**;)**


	8. Chapter 7

**To Boa: yes ;)**

**To It's-Meh-Cuties: thanks! :)**

**To JP: Thank you! ^_^**

**Just warning you now, there's a lot of cursing in this chapter. Honestly, it's the greens; what do you expect? lol.**

**Hope there aren't any mistakes!**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Buttercup's POV**

I looked at the clock above the stove.

Two-thirty in the morning.

_Where the hell is she?_

Blossom always got home by nine. What was taking her so long?

Bubbles was upstairs sleeping. She went to bed around ten. We weren't sure who should stay up to make sure Blossom got home safe and sound, but the kid looked exhausted. I finally just promised that I'd be the one to stay up to meet Blossom.

Boy, when I got my hands on the Rowdyruffs, I'd definitely teach them not to mess with Buttercup Utonium's sleep.

I yawned and put my head down.

_God, I'm so tired. Maybe if I put my head down for just a minute..._

My mind grew blank. I felt like I was falling, but not in a scary way.

Colors invaded my vision. The beginnings of a dream were beginning to show up behind my eyelids.

I began to make out the outlines of a sink and some kitchen counters.

_Oh. I'm dreaming about our kitchen._

_Bring on the showtune-singing muffins!_

Suddenly, I felt something tighten around my waist.

_Wait..._

I looked down to see the back of a black sweatshirt. I looked up to see the kitchen moving farther away.

_This isn't a dream!_ I realized. _I'm being carried!_

I drove my heel into the stomach of whoever was carrying me. I heard a grunt before I fell onto the floor.

Whoever my would-be kidnapper was obviously wasn't too smart. I would never allow myself to be kidnapped so easily.

I rolled and brought myself to a crouching position. My captor turned around and I nearly laughed.

"Butch, you're retarded if you think you can just kidnap me like that."

He grinned at me, showing off two rows of pearly-white teeth.

_Too bad I'm gonna knock 'em out, one by one!_

Butch lunged at me and I zoomed out of his way just in the nick of time. I turned around and planted my heel right in his lower back.

"Bitch!" he hissed. I felt my chest heaving.

_Whew! It's been a while since I've been able to fight like this._

The adrenaline pumping through my veins, the tightening of my fists, the power coursing throughout my body... _God, I missed this_!

Butch chuckled. "Well, you've still got it. Too bad I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

I made the universal 'come at me' gesture with my hand. Butch smirked.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!"

He flew towards me. My foot was just a hair out of place, otherwise I could've stepped out of the way and tackled his sorry ass.

Instead, he caught me and we ended up rolling across the floor. I got the upper hand and ended up on top of him. I slammed my fists into his face, punching left and right, left and right, over and over.

"This is for screwing with me and my sisters, you asshole!"

Blood spurted from his nose and he growled.

Our positions changed; Butch ended up on top of me. He grabbed my forearms and pinned them against the cool tiles. I made myself look shocked.

Butch laughed, his bangs falling over his eyes.

"What's the matter? A little bit rusty?"

A few drops of blood dropped onto my cheek. "Heh... You wish!"

He brought his face closer to mine. "You might as well quit now, baby. I'm ten times stronger than you; you'll never win this little fight."

I grinned and took the opportunity to slam my forehead against his. It hurt like hell, but judging by Butch's sharp intake of breath, it hurt him too.

He slammed me against the ground. "Stop fucking doing that!"

"Doing what? Kicking your ass?" I used my laser beams to zap at his arms. Butch lifted them, clutching at his burned flesh. I shoved him off me and into the nearest wall. The whole house shook; I would probably catch shit from Blossom later.

"'Cause that's what I'm good at!"

I lunged at him again only to have my fist meet the wall. Blood welled on my knuckles and I winced.

_Fuck! I missed!_

Arms wrapped around my waist. I immediately started to struggle.

"I'll admit, you got in a few cheap shots," Butch growled against my ear. "But it's over. You're mine."

With that, he bit down on my neck, two sharp points piercing my skin. I could handle a little, hell, _a lot_ of pain, but nothing compared to this.

"Get off!" I screamed. "Get off, get off, _get off_!"

Butch stayed glued to my neck. It felt like all my blood was getting pulled out of me. It hurt like hell... Worse than any pain I've ever felt.

My vision blurred. I began to see eight chairs instead of four.

_No... Gotta stay awake... For... Bubbles..._

In a final attempt to free myself, I brought my elbow into Butch's side. He chuckled against my neck.

His grip lessened and I fell to the floor, my cheek slamming against the cold tiles. My hair fell over my face.

_No way... I have to get back up._

Just as I was beginning to make myself get back up, Butch slammed his fist into my gut. I coughed and clutched my stomach.

"It'll take more than... a few cheap shots... to keep me... down..."

"That was for punching me in the face," he growled. "And this is for headbutting me."

He slammed his foot into my side. I fell onto the floor, but not before my temple smashed against the floor and blackness overcame my senses.

* * *

**Two down... I wonder what will happen with Bubbles and Boomer?**


	9. Chapter 8

**To Kyogan-Saori: ^_^**

**To GreenNERD: thank you!**

**To TheDancerLaRae: glad you like it! :)**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Bubbles' POV**

_Slam!_

_Crash!_

I jolted awake.

What on earth was going on downstairs? Had Blossom come back and gotten into a fight with Buttercup?

No, Blossom wasn't reckless. When Buttercup was in her explosive moods, Blossom never entertained her.

I opened my eyes only to see big blue eyes staring down at me.

"Ah!" I cried, and scrambled backwards. My back hit the headboard.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness around me, I noticed more of the thing's features.

Blonde hair that was cut short, big blue eyes that were just a few shades darker than my eyes, and a lean, lanky form.

"Boomer?"

"Hi, Bubbles." He smiled softly. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "And why?"

"Simple." Boomer looked pleased with himself. "I'm here to kidnap you."

I stared at him, trying to process the five words he'd just said.

"No," I replied.

He cocked his head to the side. "No?"

"You're not kidnapping me." I made my voice sound firm, even though I was shaking like a leaf.

_Come on! You're a Powerpuff! Keep it together!_

Boomer leaned in close. "Are you sure about that?"

"As sure as I'm a Powerpuff." I shifted. Boomer's unwavering stare was beginning to make me uncomfortable.

"You mean, you wouldn't want to come away with me somewhere? Just the two of us?"

"Why would I want to do that?" I wrinkled my nose. "You're my enemy."

Hurt crossed his features. "What if I didn't want to be?"

That caught me off-guard.

"Well... I'm not sure what to do, then..."

Boomer leaned closer to me. His breath fanned across my lips.

"Please?"

"No. Blossom wouldn't like it."

"Forget Blossom. What do _you_ want to do?"

I bit my lip. "I'll fight you if I have to."

"Really? What if I did this?"

I was about to ask him what he was going to do when he suddenly kissed me. His lips were warm and they tasted so good, like fresh peppermint.

I didn't even realize I was kissing him back until I felt Boomer's hands wrap around my waist and pull me closer to him.

If Blossom ever found out about this, she'd have my head.

But wow... Boomer was good at kissing...

_Maybe... Maybe this could just be our little secret?_

I tangled my fingers in his hair and brought him closer to me, if that was even possible. Our bodies were already so close.

His tongue rubbed against my lower lip and I parted my lips.

When his tongue began to roam my mouth, licking at every crevice, I moaned.

Boomer pulled away, leaving me breathless.

"I really like you, Bubbles," he whispered. "Do you... um... well..."

His shyness made me blush.

Even though he was supposed to be my enemy, he sure was cute!

"Do you think you could give me a chance? You know... As in together? Or even friends?"

I frowned. "Boomer, I think you're cute, but I don't think we can be friends, or even together. My sisters and your brothers wouldn't approve of it."

He sighed. "I thought you might say that."

Suddenly, Boomer's lips were hovering over my neck. "I'm sorry about this, Bubbles, but my brothers and I have things to do, and you girls are part of our plans."

"W-what?"

He sank his teeth into my skin and I whimpered.

"Boomer, what are you doing?"

He didn't reply. I was soon met with the most intense pain I've ever felt. It felt like tiny bombs had been implanted in my veins and then suddenly exploded.

I reached up to pull him off my neck. "Stop! It _hurts_, Boomer! Please!"

But he didn't ease up. Boomer gripped my shoulder harder.

Right when I felt like I was at the edge of death, Boomer released his hold on me.

"I'm really sorry, Bubbles," he whispered, holding me against him. "But this had to be done. I had to mark you."

I only had enough energy to look up at him.

I was shocked to see Boomer's lips tainted with my blood.

"Sleep," he whispered.

Sleep I did.

* * *

**I hope I kept Bubbles in character ._. Please review!**


	10. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews on chapter 8!**

**Here's Chapter 9 ;)**

**Happy 4th of July, everyone!**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Blossom's POV**

My head felt like someone had smashed a lamp against it.

_Ugh... What happened?_

I opened my eyes and immediately winced. The light in this room was way too bright for my liking.

After keeping my eyes closed for a few minutes, I tried again, this time blinking a few times to let my vision adjust.

I was propped upright on a bed, my hands tied behind me and my ankles tied together by rope. Judging by the silky red sheets and the assortment of throw pillows, I was on a bed.

I did not like this at all.

_Come on, think!_ I mentally scolded myself. _How did I end up here? Come on, Blossom, think!_

A creaking noise tore me from my thoughts. It took me a minute to realize it was a door opening.

"Well, look who decided to wake up."

Memories flooded my mind. I clenched my teeth together.

_Brick. Yet again._

"Gee, long time no see."

He laughed at my sarcastic words and sat on the bed. His deep scarlet eyes bore into mine with intensity.

"You gave me a scare, there, Pinky," he said, a smirk on his lovely features. Wait, what am I thinking? Brick isn't hot. Err, I don't mean hot, I... er... forget it!

"I thought I'd taken too much blood," Brick continued. He moved closer to me. "But I just couldn't stop, you know? Other girls taste sweet, but you taste like nothing I've ever had before."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked. "You were drinking my blood? Just how sick in the head _are_ you?"

Brick grinned, revealing abnormally-large canines. Two and two clicked.

"The lead Rowdyruff is a vampire?" I wrinkled my nose. "And here I thought you couldn't get any more repulsive."

He smirked. "Repulsive? Try fucking amazing, Blossy."

I shook my head. "Why did you kidnap me?"

His face grew serious. "I can't tell you that, yet."

"Why?" I snorted. "What are you planning? That I'll die of suspense?"

Brick cracked a grin at my sarcasm. "Well, that's new. Blossom's got a sense of humor. I guess hell really has frozen over."

Suddenly, his expression grew grim. He turned to look at the door.

"I have to go. Stay right here."

"I'm tied up, you asshole! Where am I supposed to go?!"

Brick was beginning to royally piss me off.

To my surprise, he didn't reply; instead, he left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I must have been in that room for an eternity. All right, so I'm exaggerating; there wasn't exactly a clock anywhere.

My stomach started to growl. I sighed and tried to shift into a more comfortable position when I realized the rope on my hands was loose.

_Finally, some good luck!_

I looked around for something I could use to rub against the rope until it tore, but unfortunately, the entire bedroom seemed to be full of soft things. Even the wood of the bed posts was smooth.

Suddenly, it came to me.

Stretching my legs to their full length, I managed to roll myself off the bed and onto the floor. Miraculously, my head didn't smack against anything and when my body hit the floor, it didn't hurt as much as I estimated it would.

Pulling myself into a sitting position, I worked my arms down to my butt, then my feet, then pulled them over my shoes. Once my wrists were near my stomach, I used my laser-beams to burn the rope in half.

Once my hands were free, blood rushed back into my fingers and I flexed them.

I burned the rope off my ankles and stretched.

_Okay, now that that's settled, I've got to find a way out of here and back to my sisters._

As I neared the door, I pressed my ear against it.

Brick's voice was distant, so I would be free to look around and find an escape.

But first... I'll admit, I was curious.

What on earth were the boys planning for us?

I turned the knob and smiled.

_Brick, you idiot. When you're holding someone captive, you're supposed to lock the door._

I opened the door just a crack and gave the hallway a cautious once-over, just to make sure Brick wasn't hiding somewhere and waiting for me to walk by.

Once the coast was clear, I tiptoed down the long hallway. Including the bedroom I just left, there were two other doors, one of which was a bathroom. At the end of the hallway was a large parlor. The furniture looked very old-fashioned, like something out of the 1930s, perhaps even the early 1940s. How the boys would get their hands on furniture this dated is beyond me.

The glass coffee table held a few scattered papers. I peered over them, not daring to pick them up. If Brick was anything like me -which he was, just in boy form-, then he would be able to hear a paper rustle from a mile away.

Unfortunately, the papers held no useful information. I had wasted precious time poring over them.

Brick's voice was beginning to grow closer. I frantically looked around for a hiding spot.

_Aha!_ My mind cried. _Perfect!_

I flew up to the chandelier. Some of its bronze pieces were big enough for me to hide behind. If I positioned myself just right, no one would be able to see me.

Just as I had positioned myself to be near-invisible, Brick and his brothers entered the room. Butch was smirking, Boomer's expression was unreadable, and Brick was serious.

Boomer and Butch looked way different from how they looked as children. Boomer's hair had been cut short, but just long enough to reach the middle of his ears. He had a nice figure and, surprisingly, honest blue eyes.

Butch still had a crazed look in his green eyes, but it seemed duller. He had a bit more muscle than his brothers, which wasn't a shocker considering he probably worked out like a maniac. Butch probably still got into fights, like he used to when he was just a scamp. His black hair was styled over one eye, giving him a punk/emo look.

I held my breath when Brick began to speak. I couldn't afford to make a sound; I stayed afloat in mid-air, carefully keeping my legs tucked under me.

"Everything's going according to plan," Brick said. He leaned back against the couch. I almost sucked in a breath when he leaned his head back, facing the ceiling. If he hadn't closed his eyes, I would've been found out.

"I've already got Blossom locked up. How long do you think it'll take you guys to get Bubbles and Buttercup?"

"I found Bubbles last night," Boomer muttered. Butch laughed.

"I knew it," he said. "Blondie's so soft. She'll fall for anything."

Boomer looked away, his cheeks turning pink. He looked ashamed.

So, he already kidnapped Bubbles. If that was the case, I would have to find her and break her out as well.

"My little vixen put up a good fight," Butch commented, a smirk on his face. For the first time, I noticed the light-purple bruises on his cheeks.

Oh yeah. Buttercup never went down without a fight. During some of our arguments, it led to violence, in which the Professor had to break it up and send us each to separate rooms for a few hours. She was a nasty fighter and I sometimes questioned her loyalty to me and Bubbles, but she was a great ally to have. Buttercup always seemed to have my back, as well; whatever I told her and Bubbles to do in a fight, she listened (well, after a bit of grumbling, anyway) and enforced it if Bubbles began to question it.

So, they caught Buttercup, too?

"Too bad they got away," Butch said, disappointed. He sighed. "And to think I had her pinned and I was about to give back to her tenfold of what she did to my face. Shame."

Brick looked irritated. "They got away? Are you kidding me?!"

Boomer nodded, still not looking at his brothers. His gaze was focused on his shoes.

Suddenly, my leg slipped. My shoe brushed the tip of the chandelier and I winced.

Not good.

Brick, Butch, and Boomer stiffened.

"Looks like we've got company," Butch murmured.

I bit the inside of my cheek. All three boys began to look up at the chandelier.

_Uh oh._

* * *

**I wonder if Blossom's going to be spotted... XD**


	11. Chapter 10

**Sorry! lol I know I left you guys with a cliffy but I just couldn't help it ;)**

**To Kyogan-Saori: Thanks! Er... virtue?**

**To Greenbadass & xXxForever HauntedxXx: Thanks for reviewing! Much appreciated! :)**

**To TheDancerLaRae & A.M. Rouss: Thanks! ^_^**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls. Pretty sure if I did, this would be a spinoff-series ;P Anyway, so yeah, all characters belong to Craig McCracken.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Buttercup's POV**

I knew I was tied up from the moment I first started to regain consciousness.

"Butch!" I screamed. I thrashed in my restraints. "You better untie me RIGHT NOW before I bust out of here and kick your scrawny ass!"

After what seemed like hours of throwing myself against my restraints, I grew tired. I was panting and I'm pretty sure there were beads of sweat on my forehead.

I looked around. The room I was in like something out of a horror movie. Small candelabras were lit, giving off dim lighting. Thick drapes locked all sunlight out, and the entire room seemed to be empty save for what I was laying on. Well, that's what I think, anyway; I could barely see anything, and my eyes were far better than human eyes.

I was strapped to some sort of stone, with a large pillow underneath me. Three thick leather straps held me down.

If anything, it felt like I was laying on a sacrificial alter.

Was that Butch's plan? To sacrifice me to some freaky deity?

_Oh, _hell_ no!_

I started to struggle again when I heard a door squeak open.

Heavy footsteps echoed off the walls. I frantically looked around, trying to pinpoint my enemy's location, when he stepped into plain view.

Now that I got a better look at Butch, I noticed that he was pretty cute... er, ugly! I mean ugly as sin.

Yep. He's not attractive at all.

Butch stepped into the room with noisy combat boots, tight black skinny jeans, and a green hoodie. He grinned at me, showing off his pearly-white teeth.

I smiled in satisfaction when I saw two light-purple shiners on his cheeks.

"Would ya look at that?" I barked. "Butchy got beat up by a girl. What a sissy."

"Shut up," he growled, the grin gone in an instant. It was like someone flipped a switch.

I laughed. "You're so easy to piss off; I love it. You're not gonna have a fun time with me as your captive, I can tell you that right now."

I don't know how, but Brick ended up mere inches from my face. He exhaled, his cool breath fanning across my lips and my cheeks.

"Buttercup, if you know better, you'll shut up right now."

"Aww, did I hurt wittle Butchy's feewings?" I mocked. He sighed.

"Brick did warn me that you'd try to get under my skin. All right, then."

Suddenly, the restraints were off. Before I could do anything, Butch had me pinned against the stone.

His lips hovered dangerously close to mine.

The sickest part was that I could feel my heart start to beat faster, my blood whooshing in my ears. The fact that he was so close to me, his lips even closer to my own...

I couldn't speak. I could barely even breathe. Was he going to kiss me? _I hope so..._

_Just stop! Freaking traitorous thoughts... Sheesh..._

"Look at that," Butch mused. "She finally shut up."

I turned away and glared at the wall. "Get off me, you loser."

"Nah." He leaned on his elbows. "I like it here. The weather's nicer up here."

He chuckled at his own little joke.

I closed my eyes in annoyance. "All right, fine. You win."

"What?"

"You win. I'm done fighting." _Yeah, just until you get off me and start to leave the room, you dumbass._

"Really?" He looked surprised. "Uh... You sure?"

I sighed and pretended to look really glum. "Yeah... I mean, I'm tired, you know?"

Butch sat up. "Huh.."

Just as he hopped off the table, I sat up.

I tackled him to the ground and we struggled with each other until he was underneath me, with me straddling his waist and holding his hands above his head.

"Idiot!" I laughed. "Did you really think I'd just give up?"

Butch grinned. "I was waiting for you to do that."

He easily flipped our positions, holding my hands above my head and sitting on my waist. He put a lot of his weight down on my body so I couldn't move.

"You just don't stop, do you?"

"Not really," I replied. "I'll stop when I'm dead."

Butch lowered his head to my neck. Two sharp points poked at the tender skin.

"I can arrange that, you know."

Memories came flooding back to me. Butch fighting with me, me getting in a few good punches (of course I could; I'm just that awesome), then Butch biting down on my neck and getting in a few good hits of his own.

"Go ahead," I snapped. "I don't care."

"Aw, now that's no fun. What about your sisters?"

An icy chill ran down my spine. "What about them?"

"If you die, what will happen to them?" Butch changed his position so that he was sitting. "My brothers might not be as nice to them as you think."

"You have them here?" _Shit_. If Bloss and Bubbles were here, then I'd have to break them out, too.

And that's gonna be a real pain in the ass.

Butch nodded. "Brick's got Blossy and Boomer practically seduced Bubbles. I guess your sisters are easier to persuade than you thought."

No. My sisters weren't like that at all.

"Butch!" That sounded like Brick.

Butch sighed. "So much for spending time with my precious captive. Oh well."

Suddenly, he helped me up and placed me back on the alter-thingy. He wrapped three new leather straps around me in record time and left the room without another word.

I had to figure out a way to get out of here.

But first... Oh, boy... I was gonna beat the living crap out of Butch.

Mark. My. Words.


	12. Chapter 11

**Thank you to Sayami-Chan03, A.M. Rouss, xXxForever HauntedxXx, Elcall, and gottaluvcartoons for the reviews! I'm glad you guys like this story and each review motivates me to write faster :D**

**All right, without further adieu, here's Bubbles' side of the story! And as you know, the Blues are always soft and lovey-dovey ;)**

**I do not own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Bubbles' POV**

I woke up to the sound of a door closing.

"Bubbles?" a soft voice called. "Are you awake yet?"

"What?" I murmured. "Five more minutes..."

Someone chuckled in my ear. I lifted my hand to swat whoever had leaned over me. It was probably Buttercup; she loved trying to freak me out, especially when I was just waking up. She was a total prankster.

My hand reached up and touched soft skin, some lips, and a nose. Said lips kissed the palm of my hand.

Okay. Buttercup has never gone _that_ far.

I opened my eyes to see big blue eyes staring at me.

I shot up in bed. "Oh my God!"

"What?" Concern flashed in Boomer's eyes. "Did I scare you again?"

"Kind of!" I snapped. "Do you enjoy sneaking up on other people while they're sleeping?"

"No. Just you." He smiled.

I rolled my eyes. I looked around and noticed that I wasn't in my room.

"Uh... Where am I?" My voice came out squeakier than I intended.

"Well, you're in my room," Boomer replied, sitting up on the bed. He had been hovering over me.

The entire bedroom was blue-themed. Boomer's bed was covered in white sheets as well as a dark blue comforter. He had a small table with two chairs near the window and there were a few pictures hanging up on the wall. Most of them looked like kids' drawings. They looked really good.

I got up and went over to get a better look at them.

"Did you draw these?" I asked.

Boomer nodded. He blushed slightly. "I like reading comic books and I figured I'd try to draw some of the characters. Do you like them?"

"These are really good," I replied. "You would be one heck of a cartoonist."

"T-thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck, his blush becoming more prominent.

Suddenly, I remembered how I got here.

"Hey! You kidnapped me!" I cried. I realized how delayed that reaction was, me reacting to his kidnapping me, and I felt myself blush.

_I'm so stupid sometimes. I bet Buttercup would smack me upside the head if she was here._

_Oh my Gosh. Buttercup!_

"Where's Buttercup?" I demanded. I was in Boomer's face within seconds. He blinked before pushing me back a little bit.

"Calm down, Bubbles, she -"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" I jabbed a finger in his chest. "What did you do to my sisters?"

"I didn't do anything," he replied. "But I can't say the same for my brothers."

My stomach churned uneasily. "What are you talking about?"

He took my hands in his. I couldn't help but notice how cool they felt; my palms must have been really warm.

"Look, Bubbles," Boomer began. "I was assigned to you since you're my counterpart. Butch was in charge of Buttercup, and Brick was in charge of Blossom. I'm not sure what they're all doing, and I don't really know a whole lot about why Brick wanted you three here, but I do know that I'm kind of on your side."

_That's kind of hard to believe considering you KIDNAPPED me_, I thought bitterly.

"How do you figure?"

He looked away. "Well... While Butch is provoking the crap out of Buttercup and Brick is trying to piss Blossom off, I'm not really trying to make you mad or anything. I'm just trying to talk to you... I mean, I don't really have a problem with you, so why should I be mean to you?"

I softened. "Oh... I figured since, you know, when we were kids and we fought... You'd still hate me."

Boomer chuckled. "We were just kids, though. We weren't mature enough to realize that you guys had feelings, too. We just saw you as girls with cooties."

I smiled. "So... Does this mean we're friends?"

"Sure. If you want to be. But we're going to have to pretend to hate each other when Brick and Butch are around."

"Okay." I giggled. "So we're going to have to pretend to argue?"

When Buttercup and I were younger, we used to mess with Blossom by shouting weak insults at each other to make her think we were arguing.

Once she'd come into the room and ask what was the matter, she'd see us laughing and walk away with a huff.

That was before... Um...

Boomer's smile faded. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing," I replied. "Um, so... We're going to have to pretend to argue, right?"

He nodded. "How do you feel about the name 'Blondie'?"

I giggled. "I don't mind. What should I call you?"

"Anything; I don't really care," he replied, laughing. "My brothers call me a lot of things, mostly curse words, so whatever you come up with, it's probably not all that bad."

"Hmm... Maybe stupid head? I'm not really too good with insults..."

He grinned. "Kind of funny. I like it."

We sat there for a few moments, just smiling and thinking over what we could do to convince the other Ruffs that Boomer was still on their side.

"So... Tell me about yourself," Boomer said, breaking the silence. I smiled.

"Well, I like all sorts of things," I began, and I lost myself to conversation.

* * *

**Okay, okay. So maybe 'stupid-head' isn't so clever. You try thinking of an insult when it's too hot to even breathe! :P haha, kidding, but the next chapter will be centered on Blossom's fate. Will she get caught? What will happen if she is caught?**


	13. Chapter 12

**Thank you for the reviews!**

**Sorry if this chap sucks or if there are any mistakes; I didn't get any sleep last night due to a massive migraine and I'm running on autopilot today lol :P**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Blossom's POV**

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

_Dear God... I'm done for... My sisters and I are going to die all because of my stupid foot._

Just as the boys began to look upwards, there was a loud crash somewhere in the house. Their attention immediately snapped to the hallway that led to the room I was kept in.

"Butch, Boomer; you know what to do." Brick's facial expression was unreadable.

I watched them all go their separate ways, even Brick. I smiled.

_Thank goodness!_

I flew out of the room, carefully keeping quiet, and down another hallway. It led to a massive foyer with a few dust-filled rugs and end tables with old flowers.

Well, this was a way out. I flew down the stairs and tried the door.

Locked. From the inside and the outside, there was no way to unlock it.

_Well, that's convenient_, I thought bitterly.

I started to fly into what looked like a kitchen. It was clean, and there were a few maids working. I hid behind a large barrel of wheat to allow myself some time to think.

I had to find my sisters. If I could find them, we could take on the Rowdyruffs together. One-on-one combat obviously doesn't work; the boys are much stronger than they were as children.

Besides... The boys said Bubbles and Buttercup had gotten away. They were safe, weren't they?

"BLOSSOM!"

I stiffened.

_Shit!_

_I have to get out of here!_

I flew through the kitchen and into the dining room.

Servants were setting up the table. They gave me wide-eyed looks.

The sound of air whooshing made me fly top-speed out of the dining room and right back into the parlor. I went back into the room Brick set up for me and tried to open the windows. They wouldn't budge; they were nailed shut.

_Well, as Buttercup always said, 'if there isn't an exit, make one'._

I zoomed across the room and went head-first through the window. The sound of glass shattering deafened me for a second before I realized I was free.

_Finally!_

I soared higher and higher until I was flying next to clouds. Below me was the old mansion the boys were currently inhabiting.

It felt so good to be free again.

It seemed like hours passed by until I made it back to Townsville. Once I found my house, I landed and opened the front door.

"Bubbles? Buttercup? Are you home?"

The door was locked.

_Huh. They must be asleep. It_ is _Saturday, after all._

I lifted the welcome mat and picked up the spare key. I unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The whole house was quiet. I went into the kitchen only to see a hole in the wall.

_Buttercup must have fought with someone. I really hope it wasn't Bubbles this time._

The table was knocked on its side, and a few chairs were laying next to it, one with two missing legs.

"Girls?" I called. "Are you here?"

No answer.

"Bubbles?"

I went upstairs. The Professor's room was, as always, untouched and our room was clean. The bed covers were a little messy, as if someone had gotten up in a hurry, but other than that, everything seemed to be in its rightful place.

Then it hit me: Bubbles _did_ say she was meeting Robin today.

Maybe if I go to the mall, I'll be able to meet Bubbles and see if she's okay.

But still... That wouldn't explain Buttercup's whereabouts. Then again, she was probably out somewhere with Mitch. They always hung out on the weekends, usually at a nearby pizza place.

I sighed. I might as well go to the mall and look around.

The boys said the girls got away. Bubbles and Buttercup could handle themselves in battle, but then again, the Rowdyruffs were much stronger than before.

Whatever happens, I've got to go to the mall first.

Robin was sitting in the food court when I finally arrived at the mall. She looked worried, but as soon as she caught sight of me, she brightened up.

"Oh, hey, Blossom. Long time no see!"

I took a seat across from her. She held up a small box of French fries in offering, and I politely declined.

"So, is Bubbles here?" I asked.

Robin frowned. "No. I've been waiting here since the mall opened. Bubbles hasn't called, texted, shown up, nothing. Is she all right?"

A chill ran down my spine. "So you don't know where she is?"

"No, sorry. Is something wrong?"

I rubbed my face. Goodness, I was tired. So tired of being the leader, the mother, the one who kept everything together. Sometimes I just wanted to sleep forever and not have to worry anymore.

"No," I replied, a smile on my face. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that Bubbles hasn't been feeling well and I wanted to make sure that she was somewhere safe. Buttercup must have taken her to the doctor without telling me."

"Oh!" Robin's face lit up with realization. "So that's why she wasn't in school yesterday. Huh. Well, she could have texted me."

I didn't blame her for being a little ticked off; I'd be pretty mad if someone made plans with me, then didn't show up and didn't bother to contact me.

"Sorry," I replied. "But I told her to stay in bed, and her phone was charging downstairs. It's kind of my fault."

Robin shrugged and smiled. "No harm done. Anyway, I'm gonna go shopping. Do you want to come along?"

I couldn't afford to. I had to look for my sisters; God knows where they were.

"No, thanks." I got up and gave her a quick hug. "I've got to go. See you later, Robin."

"See ya. Tell Bubbles I said feel better, okay?"

"Sure. Thanks."

I left the mall and went back home. It was almost two in the afternoon and the girls still weren't back.

Where were they?


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: 'Kay, let me just start out by saying sorry for leaving you guys with a slight cliffy XD**

**Thank you for the reviews! :) And I hope everyone's having a fantastic summer. Mine's pretty lazy haha.**

**Anyway, so here we go! For some reason, I write Buttercup more easily than Blossom and Bubbles o.O oh well, whatcha gonna do?**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Buttercup's POV**

I opened my eyes to see Butch hovering over me, his green eyes filled with fire.

"What the fuck is going on?" he demanded. "What did you do?"

I winced. _What a way to greet someone_, I mused.

"Calm yourself, pretty boy, I've been sleeping. And would a mint kill you?"

Butch's eye twitched. "_Bullshit_ you've just been sleeping! What was that crash?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know. Maybe you should check the pipes in this dump; maybe one burst? I'm not lying; I _was_ sleeping."

After a few heartbeats and Butch's unnerving staring, he turned and headed towards the door.

"Don't try anything," he warned. I rolled my eyes again.

"Gee, because being tied down to a freaking altar gives me total freedom to screw around. _Right_."

Butch left the room and slammed the door behind him. I waited until the silence around me became deafening again before I moved my arm. The leather straps were burned to a crisp on my right side, thanks to my lovely laser-beams.

Butch was a freaking idiot. Of _course_ that crash was me! I'm not known for patience and obeying rules; that's Blossom's specialty.

Of course, the crash was my clumsy feet tripping over a broken flower pot. I tried to catch myself and accidentally grabbed onto some fabric, which brought down a few drapes and the metal things that held them up. I have no idea how Butch didn't see the mess, but then again, he was never all that smart.

I moved the leather strap off again and sat up.

I needed to get out of here, and even though I didn't trust Butch as far as I could throw- err, well, even though I didn't trust the idiot, I still wanted to at least check and see if the Ruffs had my sisters.

Better safe than sorry, right?

I hovered over the altar and listened.

Nothing. The coast was clear.

I floated towards the door and opened it a crack. The room was filled with the smell of rust and metal.

Was I in the basement or something?

Probably not the smartest idea, but I felt around the wall until I heard a 'click'. Light flooded the room.

Yep. I'm either in the basement or the garage.

A motorcycle filled with cobwebs and covered in dust sat near a lawn mower. The whole room was filled with cobwebs, dust, and spiders. It was an arachnophobic person's worst nightmare, let me tell you.

Luckily, I didn't have to walk through any webs. I tried to be as quiet as possible and float through the room. Below me, spiders scuttled to and fro. I shuddered; thank God I could fly. I don't have very many weaknesses but holy _crap_ did I hate spiders! I mean, I don't mind one or two, but a thousand?

I shuddered again.

Once I managed to reach another door, I could hear soft cursing.

Uh oh. _That sounds like Butch._

I looked around frantically. All I needed was a temporary hiding spot, and then I'd tackle him. I'd punch his lights out and get the hell out of here.

Not a great plan, but then again, that's more Blossom's thing. I'm just the muscle in our small team.

Finally, I settled for hiding behind the door. Butch would open the door, probably leave it open, and return to the weird altar room. While he's poking around in there, I'd have just enough time to put some distance between us. Then I could continue to explore this dump of a house.

I positioned myself close to the door. Sure enough, Butch opened it and left it open. He walked towards the other door and placed his hand on the knob before he chuckled.

"I know you're in here, Buttercup."

That's when I decided enough was enough and I charged him.

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**I promise, I'll get started on Bubbles' POV asap, people! Please review! :)**


	15. Chapter 14

**Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! I hope this one is just as good, even though I'm not too happy with it. But I'm working on the next one as we speak, and things will soon become clear. The supernatural elements I've added will become more prominent, too :)**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Bubbles' POV**

I was sitting in front of a window looking at the outside world when Boomer returned.

"Bubbles?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

I turned around. He looked flustered.

"Yes, why?"

"I heard a loud noise and I wanted to make sure you were okay," he explained. Boomer's cheeks flushed even more when my gaze met his and he looked down at his feet.

I smiled. "Well, I'm fine."

Boomer looked around the room, as if trying to make sure everything was in its rightful place, before he nodded.

"Well... As long as you're okay."

He gave a small wave and reluctantly left the room. I returned my gaze to the window.

Snow was falling softly over the mountains and cliff sides. Occasionally, a zephyr would come through and scatter the tiny white flakes.

The entire sky was covered by clouds, giving the impression that the sky was actually white instead of a brilliant blue. I twirled a few strands of my hair around my finger.

I was bored. I wasn't sure how long Boomer was going to keep me here, but I hoped he would give me something to do soon. Maybe he could bring me some paper and a pencil?

I like cheerleading, but I actually tried to sign up for Citysville High's art club. They rejected my application, though; the drawings I sent in didn't show enough 'creativity' for me to be accepted into the club.

Just as I was about to move away from the window, something caught my eye. I turned back around to see a pink streak shoot across the sky. I stood on my tip-toes and planted my hands on the window sill.

"Blossom?"

_How did she escape? And... why didn't she try to find me?_

I shook that thought away. Whatever Blossom was thinking, I trusted her. I could get out of here all by myself if I needed to, anyway. Although, I _am_ kind of interested in how things will go with Boomer. I mean, he really was sweet once you got past the whole 'Rowdyruff' facade.

Then again... I really should help Blossom.

I tried to open the window only to find it was nailed shut. This whole place was probably so old that the windows were drafty.

Come to think of it... How did the boys even get this place?

Just when I was about to bust through the window, the sound of a door opening made me pause.

Boomer walked in with a tray of cookies and a glass of milk. He smiled at me.

"Hey. Thought you might be hungry. I hope this is okay; my brothers said I'm not allowed to give you anything to eat right now, but I was able to slip these out of the kitchen for you."

My heart filled up with guilt. I couldn't just leave Boomer here. I mean, he was really trying to be nice to me, and the fact that he's secretly going against his brothers says a lot for his character.

_Maybe I should try to sit tight for now._

Boomer and I sat down on the floor and we shared the cookies he brought.

Even though we made light conversation, I couldn't help but think about my sisters and my situation.

I had no idea what to do.

"Hey, Boomer," I said quietly. He looked up, half a cookie hanging from his lips. The sight made me blush; he was so cute.

"U-um... Are you sure you don't know why your brothers kidnapped me and my sisters?"

He popped the remaining round treat into his mouth before shaking his head.

"All Brick said was to bring you here and keep you locked up. I think he also said something about a full moon... I don't remember, though."

_A full moon? What's that supposed to mean?_

I must have voiced my thought because Boomer shrugged.

"Like I said, he didn't tell me much. I have no idea."

If there's anything I've learned from watching various old movies, it's that full moons are often associated with weird rituals.

I had to let the girls know as soon as I got out of here. This didn't sound good at all.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Blossom's POV**

I have no idea how long I was awake, flying around Townsville in search of my sisters, but I know that the sun began to set pretty quickly.

The cool darkness around me did nothing to soothe my nerves. Multiple scenarios of the Rowdyruff Boys hurting my sisters flashed through my mind, forcing me to continue searching every nook and cranny of Townsville. The girls wouldn't be in Citysville; we hated that place, and we still weren't allowed to use our powers there.

As I began to circle Townsville yet again, the faint streaks of the morning sun began to appear along the horizon.

I was just about to fly past the Mayor's office when my body began to shut down. My eyes slowly began to close and the sound of air whooshing past my ears slowed to a soft whistling.

Suddenly, without any warning, my body collided with the soft earth. I jolted awake.

Sure enough, I had fallen into the front lawn of the Mayor's office. Mud and dew were splattered onto my cheeks.

I sat up and tried to wipe some of the mud off my face before I stood.

Finally, I flew home.

The girls still hadn't returned home, and they weren't anywhere in Townsville.

I decided to take a quick shower before heading to bed. As much as I wanted to continue searching for Bubbles and Buttercup, I couldn't function correctly without first getting some rest.

Just as I had finished washing up, I heard the bathroom door creak open. I held my breath.

After a few heartbeats had passed and no other sounds were made, I cautiously peeked around the shower curtain.

Nothing. The bathroom was completely empty, and the door wasn't even open.

_Odd._

Not wasting any time, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy pink towel around myself. Out of the corner of my eye, something moved.

I spun around, my eyes roaming over every object in the bathroom, only to see that nothing had been disturbed.

I left the bathroom anyway and went straight to my room. I locked the door and quickly changed into some sweats and a long-sleeved shirt before brushing my hair and sliding into bed.

As I laid there, I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched.

_Please tell me Brick didn't follow me_, I thought. _Please..._

I was scared. Who knows what Brick would do to me while I was sleeping?

Then again, I didn't know for sure if he was there with me.

Despite the foreboding feeling in my gut and the weariness of my body, I did a quick search through the house. Nothing was out of place and the entire house was quiet.

Finally, my exhaustion won and I drifted back to my bedroom. I slid into bed and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

I woke up sometime later feeling more refreshed than ever. For once, my body felt recharged.

As my brain began to wake up more, thoughts of my sisters became more prominent. They were still missing and I had to look for them. Even though I trusted that they could find their way back, they might need my help.

Wait a second... When Brick said they escaped, could it be that he was lying? Had he somehow known I was hiding behind the chandelier?

I shifted, only to feel arms tighten around my waist. A hand clamped over my mouth.

"Hey, Bloss," Brick whispered. "Miss me?"


	17. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the reviews! And I'm glad that most of you liked last chapter ;)**

**To Mystery99: For now, yes, but things will change ;) the romance between each of the couples will start to take off soon, and thanks!**

**To SaurkaJapan: lol glad you like it XD**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Buttercup's POV**

Butch slammed my head against the wall. I grunted at the impact.

"I _told_ you not to try anything!" he growled. He tightened his grip on my hair and I winced.

"You're too stubborn for your own damn good," he finished. Butch's cool breath ghosted across my shoulder and I shivered.

"You know," he whispered. "I could always bite you again. That seemed to set you straight before."

"Do your worst," I managed to spit. "I can take anything you throw at me."

"Mm." Butch pressed his lips at the place between my neck and my shoulder. He let his teeth graze the tender skin and my body instinctively lurched forward. My mind screamed to get away from Butch; the memory of his pain-filled bite set my nerves on edge.

He chuckled and pulled me back into his chest.

"Aw, what's the matter?" he taunted. "Scared of a little love bite?"

"_Fuck_ you!" I threw my head back, hitting his forehead with the back of my head. Butch growled and released his hold around me to clutch his forehead. I shoved him across the garage with all the strength I could muster.

Butch flew into the lawn mower, which was also home to a massive nest of spiders. The small black arachnids skittered here and there, some even crawling onto the confused emo boy. I kind of felt bad for him when two huge spiders ran up his arm, but I didn't exactly regret my actions.

While he was distracted, I sprinted towards the door he originally came from and up the stairs. I let my feet lift off the ground and allowed myself to fly through the air. As I soared down numerous hallways, servants and maids rushed to get out of my way.

_This is getting nowhere_, I thought impatiently, and that's when I decided to bust through a few doors.

Bubbles had to be here, and knowing Blossom, she already got out. She was our leader for a reason.

I searched through a few rooms, smashing a few pieces of furniture here and there, when I crashed into something.

Better yet, some_one_.

I looked up to see a blonde boy staring down at me with big blue eyes. He looked a lot like Bubbles...

Wait a second, isn't this her counterpart?

What the hell was his name... Ben? Booger? No, wait, it's _Boomer_!

"Buttercup?" His voice sounded soft, almost like a whisper. Huh. He reminded me of Bubbles. The kid never really spoke up and when she did, it was the quietest sound.

"That's my name, don't wear it out," I replied. That's when I noticed a white door. I could hear soft noises coming from it.

Without thinking, I grabbed Boomer by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "What the fuck did you do to my sister?"

His eyes widened with alarm. "W-what? I didn't do anything!"

"Bullshit, pretty boy. Now, where is she?"

"I-I don't know," he lied. I brought my fist back and I was about to give him a nice shiner when someone caught my hand.

"Sorry 'bout that, little bro," Butch hissed. "Buttercup's gotten a lot tougher than when she was a kid."

"Well, look who's tardy to the party," I remarked, letting a grin grace my face. "Ready for round three?"

Something blunt struck the back of my head and I fell to the floor. Just when I was about to fall unconscious, something forced me to stay awake. The door opened and bare feet tiptoed out of the room. I recognized the light-blue nail polish on the person's toenails.

"Boomer? What's going on?" Bubbles asked quietly. Once her eyes landed on me, she went to help me when Boomer held her back.

"No, Bubbles, you can't."

"Buttercup!" she cried, fighting to get out of Boomer's grip. I was just starting to get back up when Butch decided to sit on my back.

I tried to get up but he was too heavy.

"Damn it, how much do you weigh?!" I asked, still struggling underneath his weight.

"Not nearly as much as you'd think," he replied. He sounded amused. "Having a little trouble there?"

I continued to try and get up, only to have something sharp hit the back of my head. This time, I fell to the floor and blacked out.


	18. Chapter 17

**Sorry if this chapter sucks. I wasn't sure what to do for the Blues, but the Reds and Greens are pretty easy to write lol.  
To rainbows barfing: Really? Sounds fun lol and honestly, yeah it's a lazy summer. During school, I had roughly six projects to complete, one oral report, and a full research paper due all in one week. I'm ****_quite_**** lazy after that lol ;)**

**To magarouge26: awesome! :)**

**To elen9155: I appreciate the idea, but I think I'll just stick to my original story outline :) thanks though!**

**To all other reviewers, thank you for reading and reviewing! :D Much appreciated!**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Bubbles' POV**

Boomer ushered me back into his room.

"Why did you do that?" I demanded. "I have to help her!"

He held my arms at my sides. "Bubbles, it's okay, he's not going to hurt her."

"Yes, he will!" I cried. "Butch is insane! He'll _kill_ her!"

"Bubbles, calm down." He looked straight into my eyes.

"No, don't tell me to calm down! I have to go help her!"

"Bubbles, don't -"

Before I knew it, my hand came across his face with so much force that Boomer's head whipped to the side.

I stared at my hand in shock.

_I slapped him. I actually slapped him._

Boomer slowly turned back to face me. I could see in his eyes that my shocked expression mirrored his own.

Without thinking, I took a step back. "I-I-I'm sorry, Boomer, I d-didn't mean that..."

He sighed. "It's okay. Just please don't hit me again, all right? I deal with enough from my brothers."

After a few heartbeats passed, I leaned up and kissed his reddening cheek.

As soon as I stepped back, lips crashed to mine. Arms wrapped around my waist and crushed me to a firm chest.

Boomer was kissing me. Actually, kissing wasn't even the right word; _devouring my mouth_ seemed to be a better description.

Hesitantly, I started kissing him back. I could feel Boomer pressing his tongue against my lips and I parted them for him.

It felt so good to kiss him... It's like we were made for each other...

Just when things were about to go farther, I remembered that he was keeping me from my sister. I broke the kiss.

Boomer pulled away, startled, saliva still on his lips.

"I'm still mad at you," I said, turning away from him. I folded my arms across my chest.

He sighed. "Come on, Bubbles; I'm only doing what I was ordered to do."

"How old are you?" I asked, not bothering to face him.

A few minutes passed before Boomer finally asked, "What?"

"How old are you?" I repeated.

"Eighteen?" he replied uncertainly. "Why do you need to know -"

"If you're eighteen, then you're technically a man!" I spun on my heel and jabbed a finger at him.

Boomer looked surprised at my outburst.

"And it's kind of funny that, as a man, you're letting your brothers push you around all the time. Aren't you supposed to be the one making decisions for yourself?"

"I _am_ making decisions for myself," Boomer growled. "I'm putting myself on the line for you and your sisters all the time, you know. I don't _have_ to tell you what my brothers are planning and I don't _have_ to be nice to you. I'm doing all of this because I _choose_ to. Just because I'm not letting you run to your sister doesn't mean I don't know how to do things for myself."

I felt my cheeks heat up in shame.

"I'm sorry," I replied softly. "It's just... How do you know Butch won't hurt Buttercup?"

Boomer sat down on the bed. He covered his face with his hands and let out a long sigh.

"Well, for one, he'd have to deal with a very pissed-off Brick, plus Buttercup, and two, I'm pretty sure Butch has a crush on her. As much as he acts like a tough guy, it's kind of obvious he's got a thing for Buttercup."

"As long as she doesn't get hurt."

Boomer lifted his head. "She'll be fine. Buttercup's the toughest out of you guys, right? I don't think she'll get hurt that easily."

I let myself fall back onto the cool comforter. "I'm not worried about that; Buttercup tends to run her mouth a lot and that's what often gets her into trouble. I'm worried that she'll go too far and push your brother's buttons too far."

"Butch knows not to disobey Brick," he reassured me. "He's insane, yeah, but he's also extremely loyal to Brick. Even if Buttercup were to push him towards the edge, he knows not to go too far."

I wasn't worried about violence; heck, violence was part of Buttercup's everyday life when we went to school. But I wasn't sure if the Rowdyruffs knew that the Professor was dead.

If Butch knew that and he teased Buttercup about that... Well, even the toughest person has a breaking point. Buttercup may be strong, but when we all learned of our father's death, her reaction was explosive at first. But while Blossom was working and Buttercup thought I wasn't within earshot, she would sob quietly to herself. It was very unlike her to cry like that and I don't ever want her to hurt like that again.

"Look, Boomer, did you hear anything else about this weird 'full moon' plan?" I asked, shifting my thoughts to what he'd told me earlier. He nodded, then tensed.

"I have to go. All I can tell you, though, is that we need you three and Professor Utonium."

An imaginary dagger plunged through my heart at the sound of my dead father's name. Boomer left the room, not knowing that he was leaving me alone to try to repair the cracked walls I had built around my heart. Memories of my father began to play in my mind like an old, outdated movie and I couldn't stop the tears when they came.

* * *

**Blossom's POV coming next chapter! Think you can handle it? ;P Review please!**


	19. Chapter 18

**To jpangel97: thanks haha ^_^" It's just that sometimes if I don't really like how the chapter came out, I feel like my readers won't like it either.**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**Blossom's POV**

I couldn't move.

My entire body was frozen with fear.

Brick chuckled again, this time removing his hand from my mouth.

"You know, that _was_ a pretty stupid move on my part," he whispered in my ear. "Leaving the bedroom door unlocked... What was I thinking?"

I wasn't sure what to say, so I remained quiet. Brick pulled my even closer and pressed his lips to my neck. I felt him grin.

Suddenly, two sharp teeth grazed the tender skin.

"Then again, this might not be so bad," he continued. "I don't have to worry about my idiot brothers walking in on us. I have you all to myself."

Brick sank his fangs into my skin and I whimpered.

Me, the leader of the all-powerful Powerpuff Girls, whimpering?_ Buttercup would probably make fun of me if she learned of this._

Brick withdrew his fangs and instead allowed his hand to travel up the back of my shirt. His cold touch made me shiver.

As if a switch had been flipped, Brick was on top of me, pinning me to the bed.

His lips ghosted over mine.

"Nervous? You should be."

With that, Brick pressed his lips to mine. I wanted to fight him, but I couldn't. The ice-cold fear that previously gripped my body left me exhausted.

_Exhausted, exhausted, exhausted._

_I'm so tired of feeling drained._

Brick moved his lips against mine with such vigor that I couldn't help it.

I kissed back.

My emotions were going crazy. I wanted to beat Brick into next week, kiss him, hug him, cry on his shoulder, ignore him, laugh with him... So many secrets wanted to make themselves known to this boy.

_No... This is wrong. I shouldn't be feeling like this towards him._

Brick pulled away, allowing me to breathe.

"You're a real piece of work," he mumbled, allowing his lips to hover dangerously close to mine. "So many emotions. What are you hiding from me?"

I could feel the old, happy memories of the Professor I had shoved to the deepest recesses of my brain trying to come back to the front of my mind. I hadn't allowed myself to deal with his death because my sisters needed so much love and support; if they saw me, their sister and leader, upset, then there would be nothing left of our family. I had had no choice but to push all those mixed grief-related emotions back in order to help piece things back together.

"It's none of your business," I bit out. "Now get off of me!"

Brick gave me a hard stare. "No, something is really bothering you. I can sense it. Why won't you tell me?"

Was he _serious_? The leader of the Rowdyruff Boys, my male counterpart and my arch-nemesis, wants me to tell him my problems?

"Did you drink too much blood?" I asked, incredulous. "What makes you think I'd ever want to talk to you? My personal thoughts are _my_ business and mine alone. Now, will you kindly get off me before I _make_ you get off?"

Something flashed in his eyes before he complied. Brick opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it and closed it.

"You're coming back with me," he stated, his voice much sharper than when he was trying to talk to me. "And while we're here, where's the Professor?"

My blood froze in my veins. "P-Professor?"

"Did I stutter?"

I tried to swallow the thick lump of sadness that lodged itself in my throat. I opened my mouth to speak, but only a small squeak came out.

Brick cocked an eyebrow. "Well? Where is he?"

A memory flashed before my eyes.

* * *

_"Professor! Professor, guess what?" I called, dropping my backpack near the front door._

_"In here!" he replied. I rushed into the kitchen and held up the letter I'd gotten from Pokey Oaks Middle School._

_"Look at this! It says I've been nominated to join the National Junior Honor Society!" I held up the white paper proudly. Professor stopped stirring the pot of stew he was making and took the letter. He looked it over before smiling._

_"That's wonderful, Blossom!" He wrapped me in a hug and kissed my forehead. "I'm so proud of you! How did you get nominated?_"

_"Straight As and perfect behavior," I replied, gloating a little bit. He laughed._

_"Well, congratulations. I might just have to take you girls out to dinner to celebrate."_

_"Can we go to that new Chinese place in Townsville?"_

_Professor nodded. "Sure! Whatever you'd like to do to celebrate."_

* * *

I forced the memory away. _Not now_. I couldn't deal with that while Brick was here.

"I don't know," I lied. "I haven't seen him in a while."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

Brick grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. "Where the fuck is the Professor?!"

"_I DON'T KNOW_!"

With that, I pushed my knee right into his manhood. Brick hissed and fell onto his side, clutching at his hurt member.

I used the opportunity to zoom out of the room, right through the window and up into the sky. I had no idea where I was going, but as long as I lost Brick, I'd be safe.

_Shit!_ That's right... I still had to find my sisters.

I must have flown for hours before I finally came to a heavily-wooded area. It almost looked like the forest where Fuzzy Lumpkins lived, but it was different.

I landed and started to walk around. The cool, soft grass under my feet calmed me down somewhat, but the beloved memories I had of my father were flowing through my mind, tumbling out like a closet overstuffed with toys.

_No._ I buried my face in my hands and tried to shove all those happy, mocking memories back into the dark corners of my mind. _No, no, no, no._

_The Professor is dead. All those happy times are gone now and... And..._

_No, I can't think like that. My sisters need me to be strong. If I start to cry, I'll never stop, and they can't see that side of me. I have to be strong... Come on, Blossom, pick yourself up already!_

After I was able to get myself back together, I flew back up into the sky and began to head back towards the mansion the boys had been keeping me in.

Brick would never think to look here for me. Whatever he needed me for, he wouldn't get me.

Besides; what if my sisters were still there? It was worth checking out, right?


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hi, guys! Boy, I never thought this story would get the attention it's currently receiving. You guys are awesome!**

**To Kyogan-Saori: lol it's always the way, and no problem!:)**

**To AWESOMEROCKSTAR101, LuvChipmunkPPG, and SaurkaJapan: thanks!**

**To jpangel97: thanks! And maybe Brick can help her ;)**

**To AshBlondeP: here ya go! :D**

**An extra, super-duper thanks to Orioles1997! Thanks for reading, and happy publishing! :)**

**Sorry if there are any mistakes! Let me know if there are any so I can correct them ASAP ;)**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**Buttercup's POV**

I woke up tied to a chair. The back of my head throbbed thanks to Butch striking me with something blunt.

And then it hit me: _Bubbles!_

I really hoped the kid was okay. I knew she could take care of herself and all, but Bubbles was not always as strong as Blossom, or even me.

She especially wasn't too good at fighting after the Professor's death.

I tried to move my arms and legs to test the strength of the ropes, but they didn't move.

_Great. I'm tied up again, and this time I can't use my laser-eyes._

This whole 'tie the girls up and taunt the shit out of them' is starting to get old _real_ fast.

Upon looking around, I noticed I wasn't in that altar room anymore.

The walls were a dark green and the off-white carpeting beneath my bare feet was nice and soft. Against one of the walls was a green-clad bed with lots of pillows, some black and some white. Opposite of the bed was a desk pushed next to the window. A computer sat idly on it while a few papers were stacked neatly to the side, a pen resting on top of them.

_So, I'm in Butch's bedroom, now?_ I thought. _Why the hell is it so neat? That idiot is freaking insane; why would he even _try_ to keep his room clean?_

The door swung open to reveal said idiot. He grinned, showing off two sharp fangs, and closed the door behind himself.

"And the princess has awakened!" he announced, bowing mockingly.

In a flash, he was crouching in front of me. Butch got in my face and smirked when I scowled at him.

"So, how's it feel to be tied down _properly_? Frustrating, isn't it?"

I snapped my teeth at him, nearly catching his nose, and he laughed.

"Ooh, awfully feisty tonight, aren't we?"

"Shut the hell up!" I growled. "Where are Bubbles and Boomer?"

"That's none of your concern," Butch replied in a sing-song voice. "Any other dumb questions you wanna get out of your system?"

I opened my mouth to say something nasty when I stopped.

Something _had_ been nagging at the back of my mind ever since I was brought here.

"Why did you kidnap us?"

Butch's mocking disappeared. He looked genuinely surprised that I was actually talking to him, not screaming my head off.

"I mean," I continued, clearing my throat. "Usually, you and your brothers attack us, we fight, and that's it. Why go to the trouble of tying us up and holding us here? Don't you guys have other things to do?"

Butch blinked before his features relaxed into that cocky smirk he always seemed to wear.

"Well, I guess I _do_ owe you a little bit of an explanation. Sit down - oh, wait."

I rolled my eyes.

And he always seemed to act like an asshole.

Butch stood up and walked over to the window. Snow was falling quickly, flakes flying everywhere, the wind howling against the old glass. It looked like a blizzard was raging outside.

He folded his hands behind his back and stared out at the cold weather. The whiteness of the snow seemed to accentuate his pale skin, giving it an otherworldly glow.

"My brothers and I have hated you and your sisters since the day we were born," he began. "And for a while after our last encounter, we were dead.

"But two years ago, we were reborn. Of course, we came back as humans again, but that didn't last for long. There are things that lurk in the dark that are much worse than the Gangreen Gang and Him, you know."

I made a face. "You're saying you're not human? What are you, crazy?"

Butch's gaze flickered towards me before he grinned.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I've got immense strength, smarts," -I snorted at that-"and I've got fangs. I'm a vampire, sweetheart."

"Then why aren't you sparkling?" I cracked. "You're certainly pretty enough to sparkle. What, did you run out of glitter or something, pretty boy?"

"_Anyway_," he interjected. I noted with satisfaction that his expression was one of annoyance. I'd struck a nerve.

"We ran into a vampire and it wasn't pretty. We were turned, and then we spent a year training. It took a lot for us to gain the self-control we now have."

He paused, letting the words sink in, before he continued.

"But even though we had trained and trained, we all felt a strange pull. It was strange; something was pulling us towards Townsville. We all felt it, though at different times. Brick was drawn to the kindergarten you guys went to, Boomer was drawn to a park, and I was drawn to a soccer field.

"That's when we started doing a little research, and you know what? All that soul mate crap is actually true."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. Soul mate? What the hell?

"Okay, so you and your brothers were drawn to specific places," I said. "Big deal. What's this got to do with me and my sisters?"

Butch closed his eyes for a minute and exhaled slowly. It was as if he was losing patience with me.

Well, what can I say? That's just how I roll.

"You don't get it, do you?"

I snorted. "Get what? I get that you and your idiot brothers were turned into vampires which, by the way, sounds ridiculous and messed up, considering vampires aren't even real, and I get that you guys were drawn to Townsville for God-knows why."

Butch turned around and I noticed that all sarcasm had left his face. He looked completely serious, something that kind of bothered me.

_What gives?_

"Buttercup, the reason why my brothers and I were drawn to Townsville was because our soul mates were _there_."

I blinked. "Okay...? And you need me and my sisters because...?"

He groaned. "You moron, _your sisters_ are our soul mates! Blossom belongs with Brick, Boomer with Bubbles, and I with you! How _fucking_ hard is that to understand?"

A moment of silence passed before I burst out laughing. Butch's eye twitched.

"You think we're soul mates?" I sounded hysterical, but I didn't care. "Oh man, that's rich! Boy oh boy, and here I was all concerned that my sisters and I would have to babysit some poor girls you guys were targeting. Ha!"

Butch's expression didn't waver like I thought it would. He didn't laugh or smirk or do anything to indicate he was joking. That's when it hit me.

_He's actually serious._

"Look, man, no offense," I said in between chuckles. "But we're not soul mates. You're evil, I'm good. Forces like that don't go together."

"You say you're good, but you've dabbled with evil before."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"You liked Ace from the Gangreen Gang when you were a kid. _He's_ evil."

"I was blinded for a little while and then I came to my senses," I shot back. "Besides; you were born a little while after I was born. Sorry, but I don't date younger guys."

Butch chuckled. "We may have been born after you guys, but we were born a year older. While you guys were five, we were six. We've always been a year older than you, whether we were born first or not."

"Well, whatever. I refuse to believe that we're soul mates."

Suddenly, Butch was in front of me. He gently cupped my chin and tilted it upwards.

"Even after this?"

I opened my mouth to question him when suddenly, lips covered my own.

Butch was kissing me.


	21. Chapter 20

**Sorry this chapter's so short, but I AM working on Blossom's POV! So be on the lookout, people! :P I will probably be posting it tomorrow, at the latest. This story is just so full of life and the words just flow; I kind of wish I had that type of vigor with my other fics LOL ah, well... Whatcha gonna do?**

**To Breana: well yeah, silly, check the previous chapter :)**

**To barfing cupcakes: Let me just say that your name is crazy awesome! XD And thanks!**

**To magarouge26: thank you! :)**

**To LuvChipmunkPPG: hehehe no one did :P**

**To sildarmillion: Not ruined forever; merely screwed up for the time being :) thanks for reading!**

**To jpangel97: All shall be revealed soon :)**

**To mlbv-grimm: thanks! Glad you like it :D**

**A special thank-you to all my reviewers, followers, and fave-rs. You guys rock! (I hope I didn't misspell any of your usernames; please let me know if I did and I'll correct it asap!)**

**I don't own the PPG. That honor belongs to Craig McCracken!**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**Bubbles' POV**

I buried my face in my hands and let my emotions out. After holding in my tears for so long, I just couldn't do it anymore.

I missed the Professor so much. I missed his hugs, how he would always wear a smile, how he'd always make time for me and my sisters.

I wanted my dad back. Why did he have to die? _Why_?

I hadn't realized how hard I was crying until my throat started to grow scratchy. Hiccups rippled through my chest while sobs shook my shoulders.

"Bubbles?"

At the sound of the new voice, I hid my face in my knees. I wrapped my arms around my legs and stayed like that. The last thing I wanted Boomer to see was me breaking down like a baby.

Boomer sat next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. He pulled me into his chest.

"Hey," he said softly. "What's wrong?"

"Go away," I mumbled. I _really_ did not want Boomer to see me like this.

Boomer sighed. He tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear.

"Come on, Bubbles, what's the matter?"

I tried to move away from him, but Boomer wasn't budging.

"Please just leave me alone," I replied. _Please, just let me have this moment to myself._

"But you're crying and I -"

"Boomer, please, I'm okay, just go."

"I just want to help you -"

"I DON'T _WANT_ YOUR HELP!" I exploded, slamming my fists to the floor. Two dents appeared in the hardwood flooring.

The boy next to me stared at me, shocked, mouth slightly agape.

A fresh set of tears gathered behind my eyes and I sniffled.

"I want my daddy..."

To Boomer's credit, he didn't say anything more and he stayed with me, letting me cry into his chest.

When I finally started to calm down, I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand. Boomer disappeared for a few seconds before he returned with a box of tissues. I mumbled a 'thank you' and grabbed a few to dry my face.

"I... I'm sorry that I yelled at you," I said, finally, when I found the courage to speak. Boomer smiled weakly.

"It's fine. But... Did I do something to upset you?"

I shook my head fiercely. Boomer had been nothing but kind to me since we got here; I didn't think he could ever upset me. He seemed too nice to be mean (well, if you forget the fact that he was a jerk when he was just a boy).

He hesitated. "Well... What made you cry like that?"

I sniffled. "Boomer, do you r-remember when you told me about this 'ritual' your brothers n-need me and my sisters for?"

"Yes." A few remaining hiccups tore through my chest. I calmed my breathing before I was able to speak again.

"And you s-said the P-Professor was needed along with us..."

"Right."

I bit my lower lip to keep it from trembling. A whole new set of tears was starting to collect behind my eyes.

"Boomer, there's no w-way the ritual could be completed." My voice cracked on the last word.

He tilted his head to the side. "Huh?"

A single tear ran down my face. I looked up to meet his eyes.

"Boomer... The Professor is dead."


	22. Chapter 21

**As promised, here's the next chapter! Enjoy :)**

**Dunno how I feel about this chapter. I hope I explained things a little bit more thoroughly and I hope you guys like it regardless, though.**

**Buttercup's reaction to Butch should be pretty entertaining. Can't wait to write it lol XD**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**Blossom's POV**

I flew for hours and hours. Miles of towns, villages, and cities passed below me at light speed.

Even after hours of searching, I still didn't see any signs of that old, rickety mansion the boys were occupying. It was extremely frustrating.

Finally, though, I grew tired again. I didn't bother to stop at any of the towns or cities to rent a hotel room since I didn't have any money on me; I instead flew down to a forest and landed in one of the trees. The branches curved upward and around, creating a weird, makeshift bed. It wasn't as comfortable as it looked, but it would have to do. Right when I was about to let my back rest on the wooden 'bed', my body came into contact with something firm.

No, wait. Not something. _Someone_.

I shot up, but arms snaked around my waist and pulled me back down.

"You know, hitting a man where it hurts the most is not very nice," a husky voice whispered. "Especially when said man really likes you."

"You have a funny way of showing it!" I growled, and I tried to get out of Brick's grip. He laughed.

"Feisty as ever, I see. Hmm... You never did answer my question truthfully."

"What question?" _Please don't mention the Professor, please don't mention the Professor-_

"About the Professor." My stomach dropped.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and fought to keep my voice steady.

"I have nothing to say. I really don't know where he is."

Brick let his lips linger near my shoulder. "Are you sure?"

"Completely," I replied. "Now let me go."

I could feel his fangs elongate. They brushed the tender skin on my neck and I winced.

"One last chance, Blossom. Where's the Professor?"

One minute, I was struggling against Brick, the next, I had slumped under his grip. He caught me, surprised that I had stopped trying to get out of his grip, and held me close.

All these reminders of the Professor really hurt. I had spent so much time trying to repress all my memories of my beloved father, trying to 'forget' all the happy times we had together because they were painful to remember. What's the use of having such happy memories if all they're going to do is cause you pain and misery?

Tears started to well up behind my eyes. I didn't care who saw me cry anymore; I was tired of being strong. For once, I wanted to be the one to cry like a baby. I wanted to be comforted and 'shh'ed and told that things would get better.

I whirled on Brick. "You want to know where the Professor is, huh? Well, he's dead!"

Brick's ruby-red eyes stared into mine, looking for any sign that I was lying. Oh, I wasn't; not in the slightest.

"_Dead_, you asshole!" I continued, jabbing a finger in his chest. "Deceased, six feet under, pushing up daisies, kicked the bucket! Are you _happy_, now? I'll bet you're just bursting with excitement now, aren't you? Now that you know the girls and I are an emotional wreck and we've got a prominent weakness, you and all your evil pals can come in and wreck Townsville while we're sobbing into our pillows. That's probably why you kidnapped us, right? So that you could torture us by asking all these questions: where's the Professor? _Where is he, where is he_? Well, he's _dead_!"

Brick stared hard at me, not sure what to say. He opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it and closed it.

By this point, tears were starting to pour down my cheeks. The reservoir of tears I had tried to keep behind a dam of false strength had finally burst through.

"And guess what? You and your brothers wanted to see us cry when we were kids," I said, my voice cracking. "Well, now you've seen me cry. Congratulations."

That's when I got out of Brick's hold and jumped down from the tree. I landed with a thud, breaking my fall by using both my feet and my hands, and I slumped against the tree. I hid my face in my hands and let myself cry.

It felt so good to let my pent-up emotions out. It'd been years since I'd cried like this; I was so sick of being the one to hold everything together and keep the world from shattering.

Next to me, Brick landed as well. He pried my hands away from my face and wiped my tears away with his thumbs.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, making my voice as bitter as I could. "Don't you have buddies to go gloat to? You got to see a Powerpuff cry, after all."

Brick took me into his arms and held me close. I hiccuped a few times before I stared up at him in surprise.

"Look, Pinky," he muttered. "I didn't mean to make you cry. I had no idea the Professor was dead."

"Yeah, because it wasn't weird that he wasn't in the house when you and your brothers stalked us," I snapped.

He sighed. "We figured he was out at the store or something. Come on; I really didn't know. I'm sorry."

I couldn't stop myself; I obviously wasn't done crying and Brick was the only one around.

I threw myself into Brick's arms and cried my heart out. He was startled at first, then wrapped his arms around me and whispered things like 'it's okay' and 'I'm sorry'.

When I finally calmed myself down enough to speak again, I loosened my death-grip on Brick and stepped back.

"I'm sorry," I replied, sniffling. "I got your shirt all wet."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't give a damn about the shirt, Blossom. Are _you_ okay, though?"

I nodded, wiping a few stray tears away. "Yeah... I think I am."

An awkward pause ensued, with both of us not wanting to meet each other's eyes.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "Brick, why do you care?"

"Huh?"

I stared down at my bare feet. A few blades of grass poked at them and I exhaled.

"You and your brothers have been stalking us," I said. "And I'll admit, you scared us pretty good. But a few hours ago, you're this insane stalker who seems to be out for my blood, and now you're apologizing, letting me cry... I don't really understand."

Brick sighed. "It's complicated, Blossy. That's all I can say. I had to act that way to get answers out of you. And I guess I got them, huh?"

I meekly nodded. "There's one other thing I need to know, though."

Brick blinked.

"Why are you so hell-bent on getting me and my sisters?"

He released the breath he'd been holding in.

"You know what I am," he stated, nodding in confirmation when I mumbled 'vampire'. "We want a cure. That's why we needed the Professor; we wanted to know if he could create a cure for vampirism, and if he could do it before the full moon. If he had been able to create something, we would only be able to use it during the full moon since that's when supernatural creatures are at their strongest and, according to what my brothers and I have researched, when certain solutions could work more efficiently."

"But then, why would you need _us_? What do _we_ have to do with a cure?"

Brick stuck his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Isn't that obvious? You guys are our soul mates. Whether or not we get to return to our normal selves doesn't matter; we've still got plans for you guys."

I didn't like the sound of that.

"What do you mean by 'plans'?"

Brick grinned.

"If we could return to normal, we'd date you guys like normal humans, get married and all that other mushy crap. But if we were stuck with this condition, we'd just use the full moon to change you guys into vampires, since it'd enhance the transformation and make you guys stronger when you turn. We'd all be on the same level. But whether we have a cure or not, you guys are ours for the taking, even if we have to drag you back to the mansion and keep you chained down for the rest of your lives."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. Only Brick could come up with a plan this elaborate and only he could end his explanation with such a subtle, yet implied, threat.

"You're completely insane, aren't you?"

"Only around you." And that's when he lunged at me.


	23. Chapter 22

**To 101 PrettyKitty: thanks for your lovely reviews! Haha, and I'm glad you like my usage of words :P**

**To magarouge26: thank you! :)**

**To A.M. Rouss: Well, lots of reasons. I don't always do a good job of writing explanations or getting my ideas out on paper (or in this case, virtual paper, lol). Thanks for reading! :) I always look forward to your reviews!**

**To cococandy21: I can't tell if you like the story, or ...? Thanks for reading, though!**

**To LuvChipmunkPPG: Same! The reds are a really cute, really hot pairing! XD**

**To mlbv-grimm: I update very often, at least once per week, though I have lots of inspiration for this story, so I usually update every 2-3 days :) Thank you for reading!**

**Aaaaand the much awaited greens!**

**Although... I do wonder how Blossom and Brick are doing, and how Boomer will react to the Professor's death.**

**Boy, there sure is a lot of dra-maaa! lol just kiddin' :P**

**Enjoy!~  
**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

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**Chapter 22**

**Buttercup's POV**

Butch moved his lips against mine. He placed his hands on my cheeks and tilted my head to the side a little bit, never once stopping his assault on my mouth.

I had never been kissed like _this_, hell, I'd never even been _kissed_ before!

To think I used to make gagging noises at all those kissing couples at school... _So this is what a kiss feels like.._

Whoa, what am I _thinking_? I'm not some girly-girl who enjoys kissing! That mushy love crap is for all those other girls at school, not me! But I mean... It _is_ kind of nice to kiss. It's weird and wet and it's just -

Good Lord, I'm losing my mind.

I mean, how am I supposed to get Butch to stop? Should I kiss him back? N-not that I'd want to; man oh man, I'd never want to kiss Butch's cute -er, _ugly_ face!

Finally, I came to my senses and bit down on his bottom lip.

Butch tensed, then chuckled. He pulled away and I found myself gasping for air.

"You do realize lip-biting is a turn on for me, right?"

I scowled. "You're a pig."

He smirked. "That's not what you were thinking a minute ago."

"Oh? And what was I thinking, all-knowing one?" Sarcasm was practically dripping from my voice.

"You were thinking that I was cute, and you're fighting your feelings for me."

I barked a laugh. "Oh, 'cause you're just an expert when it comes to feelings, right? Look, _Dr. Phil_, I know my own feelings and they're nowhere near positive when it comes to _you_."

Butch snickered. He leaned closer and pressed his lips to mine again, though this time he ran his tongue along my bottom lip. A pleasant shiver traveled down my spine; I tried to ignore it as best as I could.

"You're going to make one hell of a vampire," he whispered. I felt my stomach drop.

"What the hell? You're going to try to _turn_ me?"

"Yep. Right on the full moon, baby, when it's perfect to transform a mortal into a creature of the night."

He kissed my cheek and stood up, moving back towards the window.

"There's just one thing that's holding me and my brothers back."

I narrowed my eyes. "Oh, really?"

"We need the Professor."

_Professor_. The name sent waves of grief crashing over my heart. An icy feeling filled my veins and washed over my stomach.

I never really got over his death, but can you really blame me? I mean, he was my _dad,_ the only person who ever really understood me and kept me in line.

He never judged me, either.

I remember when I was attached to that green blanket and my sisters thought it was hilarious that mean old Buttercup had a security blanket. After all of that was said and done, the Professor washed it for me and he always kept it in the hallway closet, just in case I ever needed it. He actually told me he thought it was cute that I had a security blanket, and he said it was perfectly normal.

Sometimes I would confide in him and tell the Professor certain things I was feeling, like when I would get mad at people or if I didn't agree with Blossom. He listened, let me full-out vent, and didn't try to tell me what to feel or how to think. He'd calm me down and give me some advice, and then he'd give me a hug.

And whenever Bubbles and Blossom would go out to the mall with Robin, the Professor and I would sit in the kitchen and talk about stuff. He'd tell me about some experiments that were in progress and, even though I didn't know too much about what he was talking about, I listened. I'm very close with my sisters, but I was _extremely_ close to the Professor.

The Professor was one of the only people who really knew who I was deep down inside. I wasn't always as tough as I made myself out to be; I could be nice when I wanted to be, but I saw the world for what it was and my punch-kick attitude was just how I adjusted. He understood that and he respected that.

I just wished that I had had a chance to talk to him one last time before he left. He bought me a journal three weeks before his death and I occasionally wrote in it, but it wasn't the same.

It wasn't my father.

I missed my dad a lot, and as much as Bubbles and Blossom put on brave faces, they missed him too. I may be the brawn in our team, but I'm not stupid when it comes to emotions.

"Yeah, well, good luck finding him," I muttered. Butch's eyebrow rose.

"Is he in hiding?"

_Yeah, six feet under_, I thought bitterly. Instead, I shrugged.

"How should I know?"

"Because he's your dad?" Butch replied in a 'duh' tone of voice.

I looked away. _Yeah... My dad... I miss him..._

"What's with the face?" he asked. "You don't look too happy. Did you two have a fight or something?"

"That's none of your fucking business!" I snapped. I started to struggle against the ropes, hoping that I could break free and beat the snot out of Butch for being so insensitive.

Sure he didn't know the Professor's fate, but still!

He watched my futile struggles, an amused smirk on his face.

"Having fun? You're not breaking free, you know. I triple-knotted those ropes."

"Oh, I'll find a way to break free, and when I do, you better run as fast as you can."

Butch rolled his eyes. "Gee, I'm shaking in my boots."

"Yeah, you should be."

Finally, my sudden burst of energy spent, I slumped back against the wood. My chest was heaving with each breath.

"Seriously, though, where's the Professor? It's important."

I sighed. "You really want to know, huh?"

Butch gave me a look. I put on my nastiest glare to let him know I hated every fiber of his being for making me say the words aloud.

"The Professor is dead, Butch. He's been dead for a couple of years, now."


	24. Chapter 23

**To Guest and Lala: I'm glad you guys like this story! Thanks for reviewing :D**

**To sildarmillion: thanks for your review! I like how you analyzed the Ruffs and how they're acting towards the girls (you're absolutely right: both Brick and Butch are not necessarily good boyfriend material, but at least they're honest! :P). A spot on analysis, my friend! Boomer and Bubbles seem to have the most 'normal' relationship out of the three, if you can call kidnap normal, and Boomer does have many good boyfriend qualities that his brothers do not. However, Blossom and Buttercup just might have the potential to change the boys and tone down their attitudes a bit ;) And I'll be honest, I have no idea what I'm going to do for the ending, but I can assure you that the boys will not be killed off. Thank you so much for your review, and don't worry, I'll try my best to write a fitting ending! ;P**

**To cococandy21: okay, I was just wondering, and thanks! :)**

**To Breana: The chapters are a bit off, number-wise. When you click on the drop-down, it goes in order, but since I've added a prologue (which is considered to be chapter 1), the drop down is a bit ahead. So if you click on what appears to be chapter 21, you will see that I've labeled the chapter as 20. I hope this helps! :)**

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews, as always! It always brings a smile to my face to see so many people enjoying my story, as I do work very hard on it! So a great big hug and a thank-you to you all! :)**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

**Bubbles' POV**

Boomer stared at me.

"D-dead? Oh... Bubbles, I'm sorry, h-had I known, I wouldn't have -"

"It's fine," I cut him off. "But you guys can't complete the ritual you're planning. The Professor has been... _gone_... for years, now."

Boomer opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked like he wanted to say something.

"What is it?" I asked. He sighed.

"Well, I don't think we really need him for the ritual," Boomer explained. "I'm not sure, but I think Brick actually just wanted to see if he could make up a cure for vampirism."

I blinked. "Vampirism?"

Boomer opened his mouth and his canines extended. They looked deadly; I definitely did not want him to bite me.

But... hadn't he bitten me already? Yes... When he kidnapped me... Why was my head so foggy when it came to remembering that night?

I mean, I _had_ been asleep when Boomer arrived. I hadn't really thought of the night when Boomer kidnapped me, but it always felt like a dream. The way Boomer showed up, how he spoke and acted...

As if on cue, a dull ache in my neck started up. Boomer smiled.

"Feel that?"

I nodded, rubbing my neck in an attempt to ease the pain.

"That's my mark. Kind of cool, huh?"

I had to admit, it _was_ kind of cool, but the fact that it was hurting wasn't so amazing.

"Why does it hurt?" I asked quietly. Boomer blinked.

"It hurts?" I nodded.

"Huh... It should actually make you feel happy. Maybe it hurts because the wound is fresh..? Can you move your hair a little bit? I want to check on it."

I hesitated. As much as I trusted Boomer, I didn't want him to bite me again. Now that I was starting to remember the night he kidnapped me, I didn't want to go through that excruciating pain again. One bite was enough.

He smiled reassuringly.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

Finally, I moved my hair away from my neck. Boomer leaned into me and inhaled. I tensed.

Something warm and wet began to slide over the wounds, making me wince.

"Um... Why are you licking my neck?"

Boomer pulled away, licking his lips. "My saliva has healing properties within it. So hopefully the mark will heal much quicker."

I reached up to finger the puncture marks only to find that they were gone. Boomer must have noticed my surprised expression because he moved my hair.

"Yep; completely gone. But if we were to have any supernatural guests, they would immediately know that you were taken."

I blushed when I noticed that Boomer's gaze was slowly drifting towards my lips. Before I knew it, we were both leaning in, and -

The door slammed open. Startled, my counterpart and I jumped away from each other, curiously looking towards the door.

Butch was standing there, a weird expression on his face.

"Yo, Boomer, we need to talk."

"About?" the blonde next to me prompted.

Butch's gaze flickered towards me briefly before he pointed down the hall.

Boomer sighed. "I'll be right back, Bubbles. Please stay in here."

A flash of dark blue registered before my eyes and then he was gone, the door closed. The sound of hushed, frantic voices echoed throughout the halls; I slowly began to creep towards the door.

I pressed my ear against the door and strained to hear what the boys were talking about.

What I managed to hear were the words 'Professor' and 'dead', as well as 'Brick will be pissed'. I moved away from the door just as it opened.

Boomer stepped in and, upon noticing my close proximity to the door, raised an eyebrow.

"Were you eavesdropping on us?"

I shook my head. "N-no.."

"Bubbles."

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, but I just wanted to know what was going on."

He sighed. "You could have just asked me, you know."

"What was Butch saying?"

"He said that Buttercup told him the Professor was dead, and he said that once Brick found out, he wouldn't be too happy. Though, Butch is pretty pleased."

Now I was confused. "Why would Butch be happy? Wasn't this ritual important to you guys?"

Boomer sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to him. I took a seat next to him, waiting almost impatiently to hear what he had to say.

"I have no idea," he mumbled, just loud enough for me to hear. "But I'm pretty sure Brick was planning on turning you and your sisters into vampires."

"What?" My voice didn't come out hysterical and it wasn't high-pitched. It came out level and calm.

"If this weird ritual couldn't be completed, then you and your sisters would be turned into vampires," he explained. "And not only that, but you would live with us here. As our wives."

I was expecting something horrible and gory, like Brick strapping us down and sacrificing us to some unknown power. But his real plan was to turn us into vampires, then have us each get married?

"So... We'd all get married? I would get married to you?"

Boomer nodded. He reached over and took my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine.

"Sure. I mean, we _are_ soul mates, after all, and you're just my type of girl. As long as you'd be comfortable marrying me then yes, we would have a wedding."

I blushed. "Well, that doesn't sound too bad."

He shot me a half-smile. "That's what I was thinking."

Marriage was a huge step, though. I liked Boomer a lot, but maybe we should start out slower, try things out as boyfriend-girlfriend.

I voiced my opinion and Boomer agreed. We both wanted to test the waters a bit before diving in.

"So, Bubbles Utonium, will you be my girlfriend?" Boomer asked shyly, his cheeks flushing. I'm not sure how that happened, being that his skin was already so pale, but it looked cute nonetheless.

My whole face felt like it was on fire. "Y-yes, I will."

He grinned. One minute I was sitting on the bed, the next, Boomer had lifted me up and was spinning me around. Finally, he set me down and kissed me.

It was the sweetest, most romantic kiss I'd ever gotten in my life, and that's saying something since Boomer was my first kiss.

"Then let's go into the kitchen," Boomer suggested. He took my hand and began to lead me out of the room when I stopped him.

"Wait, why are we going there?"

"To get some food, silly! We're going to have a makeshift dinner date!"

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**The Blues are so freaking cute :)**


	25. Chapter 24

**To toryflowers14: thank you! :)**

**To Greenbadass: word, lol XD but there are still good guys out there that are nice like Boomer, fierce like Brick, and crazy (in a good way) like Butch. They're just hidden :) and thanks!**

**To Orioles1997: thanks, dude! XD**

**All right, here's 24! This story is starting to get a lot more complex than I originally planned. It's really amazing what can happen when stories begin to write themselves!**

**Sorry if there are any mistakes. I quickly skimmed through the story, so if there is anything amiss, just let me know! :)**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 24**

**Blossom's POV**

Brick tackled me to the ground, pinning my hands above my head. I noticed that instead of straddling my waist, he was crouching over me. That was not a smart move on his part; I had an opening to bring my knees up.

"So," Brick growled. "Are you going to come with me willingly, or am I going to have to drag you back with me kicking and screaming?"

I wondered where the sweet, sensitive Brick had gone, the one who had let me cry into his shirt mere minutes ago. Was my counterpart losing his mind or something?

"Neither!" I brought my knees up sharply into his lower back. He cried out but, to his credit, he didn't let go of my wrists.

I let out a huge breath. "Until you tell me where my sisters are, I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"You idiot!" Brick's mouth was in a sneer, his fangs just poking out from under his upper lip. "Your sisters are with my brothers! Didn't you hear a word I said? We're looking to _marry_ you, not torture you!"

"Could've fooled me," I shot back, moving this way and that to get out from underneath Brick.

Suddenly, time seemed to freeze. The sun was no longer up in the sky; an unnatural darkness took its place, not a star lingering in the sky. Or perhaps night had simply fallen while Brick and I had been in these woods.

The moon shone brightly and gave off an eerie glow. It was almost as if it was acting as a spotlight, shining down only on me and my crazed counterpart.

Above me, Brick relaxed. I kept a close eye on his every move, not knowing what to expect next.

He stood up, his gaze never leaving mine. I stood up as well, not wanting to take any chances; if Brick wanted a fight, he was going to get one.

Besides, did he really think I was going to believe that my sisters are with his brothers and they're safe?

There's a better chance of hell freezing over!

I have to admit, though, that I kind of wanted to talk to Brick a little more to understand his frame of mind. He was kind enough to let me, his enemy, pour my heart out via tears. Normally the lead Rowdyruff would stand there and laugh over people who cried, but something was different this time.

It was like he actually cared, and what bothered me the most is that it felt _right_ to be in his arms.

Maybe I'm finally snapping. Maybe I've been filled with grief for so long that my mind is finally falling apart.

Brick stared up into the sky, a dark gleam to his ruby-red eyes.

"The full moon is close," he said softly. "We only have three days until it arrives."

Wordlessly, I took a few steps back.

My focus was not on the full moon or even Brick's plan; I had to find my sisters, as they were always my top priority. If they were in Brick's mansion, then I shouldn't have too much trouble finding them, as I had had an easy time getting around the entire building when I escaped. Now it was just a matter of finding the damn place and playing hide-and-run with Brick.

A plan formulated in my mind, I turned to look at the moon as well.

"You're going to have one hell of a time trying to turn me," I muttered. Brick's head snapped towards me, an apprehensive expression on his pale features.

"What?"

I shot up into the night sky and gathered up all the energy in my body before I took off at light-speed.

Before the Professor passed away, he had given me and the girls a good talking-to about our powers.

While Bubbles could speak Spanish and talk to animals, Buttercup could curl her tongue, and I could use ice-breath, we were, at the time, still developing powers. One that just happened to develop early for each of us was the ability to channel energy and then zoom off with incredible speed. Of course, now that we were nearing eighteen, we were finished developing super powers. That didn't mean we couldn't put our current powers to use, though.

While I soared through the sky, I glanced over my shoulder a few times to see if Brick was following me.

He wasn't.

_Score one for me._

Pretty soon, the old mansion was starting to come into view. An ominous fog hung around the wrap-around porch like a bad mood, and the entire place seemed to have an aura of darkness to it. Even the moon, with its brilliant light, seemed to hesitate shedding its light over the ancient building.

I forced myself to come to a stop, then landed on the porch. I crept along the creaking boards, glancing inside whenever I passed by a window. This place was swarming with servants and maids; how were the boys able to get such dedicated staff? They couldn't have used threats alone.

Finally, I floated up towards a balcony. Once I was able to see beyond the railing, I quickly ducked.

Buttercup was in the room, along with Butch, and judging by the look on my sister's face, she had just notified Butch of our father's fate.

Butch said a few more things before he tried to cup her chin. Buttercup turned her head away from him sharply; she looked pissed.

Finally, the green Ruff left the room. Buttercup's eyes began to grow red and she kept biting her lip.

She was trying to fight back tears.

I waited a few minutes before I opened the balcony door. Buttercup looked up, her sad expression quickly disappearing.

"Blossom!" she hissed, more in surprise than alarm. "What are you doing here?"

I used my laser-eyes to burn the ropes that Butch tied around her wrists and ankles. When they were weak enough, Buttercup broke them herself, rubbing her wrists once they were free.

"I'm here to get you guys out," I replied. "Where's Bubbles?"

"She's with Boomer, though I don't know if they've moved or not. When I last saw them, they were near some sort of bedroom."

I nodded. "Okay. Where did Butch go?"

"No idea."

I bit my lip. Not knowing where the boys were was a setback, but not a plan-killer.

"We're going to find Bubbles," I said. "I know it's going to be hard, considering how huge this place is, but knowing Boomer and his soft nature, he's keeping her somewhere decent."

Buttercup nodded. "She didn't exactly look beat up. I think she's being held in his room."

"Then let's go look there first."

She started to float towards the door when I stopped her.

"Be on your guard and stay with me," I warned. "It's obvious we can't split up, or else we'll be caught again. Just stay next to me and don't make a sound."

Buttercup rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, leader-girl."

I sighed. _Well, at least she's still the same, sassy Buttercup._

We began to make our way through the house, being careful not to let any of the servants see us. We hung close to the ceiling, which was quite a few feet up, and so far we were making good progress.

After a few dead ends, Buttercup and I came to a hallway where hushed voices echoed off the walls.

I peeked around the corner; Buttercup copied me.

It was Butch and Boomer. They were discussing something heatedly until finally, Butch left and Boomer disappeared behind a white door.

"Bubbles should be in there," Buttercup whispered. I nodded.

Together, we crept towards the door. Buttercup pressed an ear against the wood, straining her ears to hear what was going on.

After a little while, she shot me an annoyed look. I cocked an eyebrow.

"What?" I mouthed. She rolled her eyes and continued to listen.

Suddenly, the doorknob twisted. I grabbed Buttercup's hand and rushed us both over behind a decent-sized end table.

The door opened and out stepped Boomer and Bubbles, holding hands. Bubbles was blushing while Boomer had a smile on his face. Buttercup and I exchanged glances.

Bubbles was always the soft one in our small team, but had she really been blushing over a _Rowdyruff_?

Not that I'm not guilty, but still. I wasn't exactly trying to hold Brick's hand.

"Come on; let's follow them," she whispered, and we did.

The two blonde teens went into the dining room. Boomer pulled out a chair for Bubbles and then asked his servants for some sort of dinner. While they both waited, Bubbles and Boomer chatted about things, occasionally sipping water from wine glasses.

"What the fuck?" Buttercup hissed, starting to go into the room. I held her back.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Buttercup usually got angry at things that I couldn't quite understand why she'd get angry about. She gestured towards the dining room.

"We're getting tied up and interrogated while they're having a _dinner party_? What the fuck is this shit?"

Suddenly, hands planted themselves on our shoulders. Buttercup tensed; I hesitantly turned around.

Butch grinned at us both, his fangs extended.

We were caught.

"Hey, ladies," he purred, almost mockingly. "Lovely night, isn't it?"

That's when Buttercup let out a cry of anger and punched him right in the face.


	26. Chapter 25

**Hey guys, sorry for such a short chapter. I've been so tired lately; summer heat can really make a person sleepy! But anyway, here's another chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

**To Elcall: thanks! Glad you're enjoying the story! :)**

**To Ddd665: thanks for your reviews! Glad you like this story! :P**

**To You'll see: thanks so much for your review! Though I can't tell you whether or not the PPGs will become vampires, I can definitely say that the ending might be near! I might just end this story and start a sequel, but I'm not quite sure what I want to do yet. Thanks again! :)**

**To barfing cupcakes: thanks! I'm surprised, though; if people are taking the time to review a story, then why not be nice to them?**

**To AshBlondeP: I have no idea what to do yet, but when I do decide what to do, I'll let everyone know :) As for the PPGs having children... I might not do that. There are so many stories out there that allow vampires to have children, and honestly, while that's a great idea and I'm all for that type of story, I wouldn't have a clue what to name the kids. **

**To jpangel97: Buttercup wouldn't be Buttercup if she didn't smack Butch around a little bit ;)**

**To Greenbadass: I don't mind lol nice little rhyme you got there! XD**

**Thanks to all my other reviewers, and stay cool! Where I live, the temperatures are on the rise again. Summer is so wonderful! ;)**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

**Buttercup's POV**

I slammed my fist into Butch's face.

"Get your filthy hands off me and Blossom!" I screamed.

He stumbled back; he clearly hadn't expected me to lash out like I had. Butch clutched his cheek.

"Yo, what was that -"

I didn't give him time to finish his sentence. I leaped onto Butch and began to pound his face in.

At least, I _tried_ to. By this point, the lovey-dovey blue couple had come out of the dining room to see what was going on. Boomer immediately grabbed me from behind and pulled me off his brother.

"Let me go!" I growled. "Or I'll beat the shit out of _you_, too, blondie!"

Butch rubbed his cheek, grinning at his brother. "See what I mean? She's feisty."

Boomer sighed. "Yeah, _real_ feisty. Would you stop trying to provoke her?"

"I've got her, little bro. Stand back."

Boomer suddenly released my arms. Butch almost grabbed me to restrain me, but I was quicker than him.

I punched him in the gut and then took a swing at Boomer.

"Asshole! Don't ever touch me again!"

As I struggled against Boomer, Brick had also joined our little free-for-all. He had Blossom pinned to the floor. Boomer was standing near Bubbles protectively, his arms slightly out, as if someone was going to hurt her.

I'll be honest; I had no idea what the hell was going on between my younger sister and her counterpart, but that wasn't my main concern at the moment.

Suddenly, I was shoved across the room and into a nearby wall. My back bounced off the drywall and I groaned. I could have sworn I heard something crack. Maybe a rib or something?

_Bastard... That actually hurt..._

Just as I was starting to get back up again, Butch had raced across the room with incredible speed. He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. The air was knocked out of my lungs when his shoulder was introduced to my stomach.

Blossom and Brick were still fighting, but this time, Blossom was on top of him. She kept smacking him and punching him over and over, her expression murderous.

I didn't know what had happened between them, but I'd never seen leader-girl this angry. Usually, _I_ was the one who wore that expression.

Finally, Brick pulled Blossom down onto his chest. She tried to get out of his grip, but he held her there, almost like he was hugging her. Butch kept a firm grip around my waist.

Bubbles looked like she was in shock. Her eyes kept flickering from Blossom to me, back and forth, almost is if she was unsure of what to do.

"Bubbles, what are you doing?" I yelled. "Are you gonna just stand there, or are you gonna help us?"

That seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she was in. Her eyes widened slightly. She looked like a deer in headlights.

Finally, she began to move forward. Boomer blocked her and muttered something under his breath. Bubbles stared down at her feet, a guilty expression on her face.

Suddenly, Butch chuckled.

"You should be more like Bubbles," he said. "At least we don't have to worry about her going ape-shit on us. Not that it'd matter anyway since she's so weak."

Bubbles' expression changed to one of fury, and Boomer started to restrain her.

"I'll show you weak, you...! You...!"

I rolled my eyes.

_Leave it to Bubbles to still want to maintain her good-girl attitude and not swear._

During this time, Brick had somehow gotten up and picked Blossom up, bridal-style. She kept trying to get out of his grip, but the blush on her face betrayed her.

She _liked_ being in his arms.

Jeez, what the hell was going on? Was I the only one_ not_ falling for my evil counterpart?

"I think it's time we all sat down and talked," Brick announced, adjusting his hold on Blossom. As if adding drama to the moment, a nearby grandfather clock began to chime the hour.

With that, Boomer and Brick took my sisters into the dining room. Before Brick went in, he nodded to a servant. Said servant rushed off and soon returned with bundles of rope.

_Oh no. I am_ not _being tied up again!_

Just when I was about to try to kick Butch in the chest, something hard and flat flew across my butt. It would have hurt more had I not been wearing jean shorts.

_Oh my God, did he just _spank_ me?!_

He laughed. "I can hear some of your thoughts. Don't do anything stupid, babe, because every time you do, I always catch you and bring you back to square one. Just stay put and listen to what Bricky's got in mind, all right?"

I was _furious_.

"You touch my ass again and I swear, I'll castrate you once I get out of here!"

Butch burst into laughter. "You're going to castrate me for spanking you? Boy, you _are_ feisty!"

"Oh, I'll show you feisty, you cocky son of a -"

"Butch!" Brick called, interrupting me. "Come on, already!"

Quickly, I was brought into the dining room. Butch set me down on a chair and tied me up, nice and tight. He was smart enough to tie my hands and ankles behind me.

Blossom was also tied up. Brick whispered something in her ear, causing a violent shiver to ripple through her, and he kissed the back of her neck. Bubbles wasn't tied up; she simply sat next to Boomer, her expression once again filled with worry.

_Why doesn't _she_ get to be tied up?_ I thought curiously. _Is she working with the Ruffs instead of me and Blossom?_

I noticed, however, that while Brick and Butch were looking away, Bubbles turned to face me. The look of determination on her face was enough to prove that Bubbles wasn't working with the Ruffs.

_She's still on our side! But... What is she planning?_


	27. Chapter 26

**To toryflowers14: aww shucks! No problem; anyone who reviews will get a thank-you because I know if I ever took the time to review someone's story, I'd love to see them post a small thank you! I'm glad that you're enjoying the story and that the characters seem so vivid in your imagination; that's what I was aiming for! :) Thanks so much for your lovely review; it made my day! ^_^**

**To Dark Shining Light: Brick IS pretty hot lol XD and thank you!**

**To mlbv-grimm: hey, no need to apologize! Like I wrote on the last chapter, I don't mind it if people curse. Just as long as everyone is enjoying the story and not cursing ME out lol :) Heat really does make people sleepy, but rain is the perfect lullaby!**

**To Orioles1997: hahaha, that's my favorite line, too! I wasn't sure if people would like that line, as I thought it might be a little harsh, but that's just how our favorite green Puff is! :P**

**Thank you, as always, to my readers for reading my story and leaving such wonderful reviews! You guys' support is part of the reason why I update almost every day.**

**Hope you guys enjoy this chapter as well!**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 26**

**Bubbles' POV**

Buttercup was staring at me intently.

I didn't know what to do, but I wanted to get my sisters out of here as soon as possible. I mean, I didn't want to leave Boomer behind, but, well, Blossom and Buttercup have always been there for me.

Besides, doesn't the saying go 'boyfriends may come and go, but family is forever'?

I love Boomer, but I love my sisters more. The Rowdyruffs obviously trust me because I haven't been hostile; I should use that to my advantage.

Brick began talking about something with his brothers, but I tuned him out. I was taking note of my surroundings, just like Blossom always did whenever we were fighting crime.

A few stained-glass windows, two doors... We could always smash through the windows. Flying through a roof is never comfortable; I used to get such awful splinters.

Suddenly, I had a plan.

Underneath the table, Boomer and I were holding hands. I gave his hand a gentle squeeze and he looked at me expectantly.

"May I use the bathroom?" I asked.

"As long as you don't do anything stupid," he replied softly, giving me a knowing look. I nodded and left the room. Once out, I breathed a sigh of relief.

_So far so good..._

I walked down a few hallways and passed numerous doors. One particular pair of doors had two square windows. When I peeked inside, I was surprised to find a massive library. There was even a second floor just filled with books, a spiral staircase leading up to it. The entire place was perfect for Blossom since she always liked reading and learning new things.

Finally, though, I found a bathroom. I opened the door and went inside, looking at myself in the mirror briefly.

I looked different. The look in my eyes had changed; the sadness that used to lurk there was gone.

_I guess crying and telling Boomer about the Professor's death really helped._

My pigtails were starting to come loose. I let my hair down and, while I tried to comb it out with my fingers, I found that my hair was slightly greasy. I quickly put my hair back up into pigtails and moved towards the toilet.

When I got out of here, I wanted to take a long, hot shower. Showers always helped me think more clearly, and right now, my thoughts were too erratic. The only clear thought I had right now was my plan to get me and my sisters out of here.

After relieving myself and splashing some cold water on my face, I exited the bathroom. I looked down both hallways that led to the bathroom and then let out the loudest, most terrified scream I could.

Hopefully, this would distract the boys long enough for me to get to the girls.

Then, I flew down the hallway opposite of the one I used to find the bathroom. I flew through countless rooms, not stopping until I returned to the dining room.

The boys were gone, probably trying to find me. I had to give myself credit; I was pretty good at acting.

Buttercup and Blossom stared at me, dumbfounded.

"Bubbles, are you okay?" Blossom asked. I smiled at her and she immediately understood that I had been screaming to distract the Rowdyruffs.

I quickly untied the ropes that held her against the chair, then worked on Buttercup. Once they were both free, Blossom nodded at us.

"On three. One..."

The boys were starting to get closer. I could hear Butch's swearing even from this far away.

"Two..."

Gasps and startled cries told me the boys were almost here.

"Three!"

We joined hands and flew through the windows. The sound of the multicolored glass shattering was music to my ears, almost deafening me for a moment.

I was barely able to make out the sound of a door getting kicked in.

"Aw, shit!"

I turned to see Boomer, Brick, and Butch watching us, each of them wearing different expressions. Brick looked angry, ready to kill us, while Butch was smirking, a dark gleam in his emerald eyes. I knew how insane he was, so I'm sure he couldn't wait to start chasing Buttercup.

But Boomer... Boomer looked sad, almost hurt. Guilt washed over my heart.

I let go of Blossom's hand and flew down. Both of my sisters turned around, confused by my actions.

"Bubbles!" Buttercup called. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I love you, Boomer!" I yelled, catching everyone by surprise. Even Boomer seemed shocked by my outburst. "But my family comes first!"

His jaw tightened and he looked away. Even though I told him that I loved him, I could tell he was still hurt that I'd chosen my sisters over him.

He had to understand; if it was a life-or-death situation and he had to choose me or his brothers, I would hope he chose his brothers. Even though they weren't always the nicest, they were still his family, and family is forever, right?

I returned to my sisters, ignoring their bewildered stares, and together, we flew away from the mansion.


	28. Chapter 27

**To sildarmillion: Yes I will, those explanations are coming soon. The only thing I can tell you right now is that once turned, all senses are heightened, including feelings and emotions. Not just that, but you can just _tell_ who you're meant to be with. There's much more depth and detail in the explanation, but that's all I've got to say right now! :P**

**To Greenbadass: aw, thanks! :)**

**To Shady Breeze & LuvChipmunkPPG: Same here :)**

**To Dark Shining Light: Butch is _really_ insane. To provoke Buttercup so many times and still try to get under her skin is suicide 0_0 lol**

**Just gonna give a little shout out to my friend Orioles1997 for being amazingly nice and for writing such a great suspense-filled story. Seriously, guys, if you like horror or suspense, go check out his story 'My Sister and the Devil'. I'm not usually a fan of mystery stories, but this one's worth the follow! It will not disappoint!**

**As always, thank you all for such lovely reviews, and I apologize if there are any mistakes. I was editing this and accidentally closed down the window this was in, so I had to start all over.**

**Needless to say... This chapter is DONE, lol. I don't want to have to edit it AGAIN. :P**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls, but I do own plushies, a pillow case with the girls on it, and the entire collection of seasons! So I guess I own some PPG merchandise? Lol ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 27**

**Blossom's POV**

As Buttercup, Bubbles, and I flew, I couldn't help but think about Bubbles' confession to Boomer. I had a feeling something would happen between her and Boomer, since they were both very kind and soft at heart. Usually, I would reprimand Bubbles for having feelings for the enemy, but I decided not to this time.

After all, she did choose Buttercup and me over Boomer, and she didn't look too happy right now.

Bubbles was rarely sad at all. Even after the Professor's death, she still tried to remain a happy, upbeat girl.

But now... Bubbles looked like she wanted to cry. She looked heartbroken.

I flew over to her and took her hand. She looked up at me.

"You did the right thing," I reassured her. Bubbles nodded and tried to offer me an 'I'm okay' type of smile, before returning her attention to the sky in front of us.

I flew back to the side and noticed Buttercup looking at Bubbles. She opened her mouth, then met my eyes.

I shook my head. Now was not a good time to bring up Bubbles' relationship with Boomer. When Bubbles wanted to talk to us about it, she would come to us when she was ready. Right now, it was best to leave well enough alone.

Buttercup nodded, then turned to me.

"So, where are we going?"

That was a good question. Where was a good hiding spot? The boys were relentless when it came to finding us. When we were kids, they were hell-bent on our death, and now they're hell-bent on marrying us.

Talk about a change of heart!

"Shift downward," I yelled to my sisters. "We'll find a place to stay for the night."

They obliged and I followed them. We made a v-shape, much like birds did when they were leaving for winter, and began to fly down.

We flew over forests and many cities until we found ourselves above Townsville.

"Should we stay at our house?" Bubbles asked. I nodded.

"They'll be combing every city to find us," I replied. "They wouldn't think to look in our house, at least not right after we've escaped. They're going to think we're hiding somewhere else."

The three of us landed on our front lawn and entered the house. I made sure to lock every door we had so the boys couldn't get in that way. Not that they'd use the doors, but it was just a precaution.

Bubbles sprawled out on the couch and buried her face in one of the throw-pillows. Buttercup plopped down on the love seat and settled down.

Sleeping in the living room was a great idea, actually. We were all together and if one of the boys tried to take one of us, it would be easy to hear screaming or even a scuffle.

No other chairs around, I grabbed a throw pillow and curled up on the floor.

Sleep did not come right away as it did for my sisters.

A certain pair of scarlet eyes were haunting me, keeping me from falling into a deep sleep.

The way that Brick pulled me down onto his chest when I was smacking him, and the way he just held me there... I shivered.

I would never admit it aloud -nor would I ever admit it to my sisters- but there was no doubt in my mind that I had feelings for Brick. He was perfect; we were both smart, serious, and we were both strategic thinkers. Not to mention that Brick wasn't exactly an ugly boy.

He was _hot_.

I wanted to kiss him again, like we had before. Just the thought of his cool lips against mine sent shivers down my spine.

But... I could never be with him. I'm pretty sure there's a rule somewhere in the superhero handbook that states superheroes aren't supposed to be with super villains. It's just _wrong_.

I started to fall asleep once I started thinking about the way Brick held me, and I'll admit that I even pretended he was there with me, still holding me.

After those thoughts passed through my mind, sleep came easily.

* * *

I woke up hours later to the sound of something sizzling. Immediately, I sat up and looked around.

The smell of bacon filled my nose and I sighed.

It'd been ages since I'd eaten; I was _starving_.

I went into the kitchen to find Buttercup cooking bacon and eggs on the stove. Her hair was wet, as if she'd showered recently.

Subconsciously, I lifted a hand to my own hair and winced at the splotch of mud I touched.

My dark-haired sister noticed me and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Hungry?"

"Very," I replied. "Where's Bubbles?"

"She's upstairs cleaning up for the day. We both showered early, so if you want to take one, there's still hot water."

"Thanks. I think I'll go upstairs and get that out of the way, then."

I zoomed upstairs and into the bathroom. I stripped out of my filthy clothing and stepped into the shower. The hot water beat against my skin in a therapeutic rhythm. It was so relaxing; I almost wanted to go back to sleep.

I scrubbed all the dirt and grime out of my hair twice and then scrubbed my arms. They had been covered in mud from the struggle Brick and I had been in when we were in those woods.

Finally, when I was clean, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy white towel around myself.

I made my way to my room and changed into a clean long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. As I was brushing my hair, Bubbles came into the room. She was brushing her teeth, as well as rummaging through our closet for something. She gave a cheerful wave, then went back to looking for whatever it is she was looking for.

I decided to brush my teeth as well, before going downstairs into the kitchen. Buttercup had finished cooking and three plates were set on the table. I sat down to one and began eating.

The taste of food after a day without it was amazing. I immediately thanked Buttercup for the breakfast she'd made and continued eating. Bubbles joined us shortly after.

When we were all finished, a tense silence hung in the air. I knew what the girls were thinking; what were we going to do now?

"What should we -"

"How are we -"

"I think we should -"

We all began to speak at once, until we all realized that speaking over one another would get us nowhere. Bubbles giggled at our simultaneous outbursts. Buttercup nodded towards me.

"All right, girls," I said. "I think we should spend one more night here. We're going to have to pack up a few things to take with us. I'll call the school and make up an excuse as to why we won't be there for a couple of weeks, maybe months. While you guys move about the house, please stay alert, and if you need to run to the store, everyone goes. We need to stay together."

"Before you call the school, can I call Robin?" Bubbles asked. "I need to talk to her. I didn't get to meet her on Saturday."

"Sure. Buttercup, you can call Mitch after Bubbles is done, if you'd like. Just tie up any loose ends you have now because we might not be back here for a while."

With that, Bubbles used the phone first. Buttercup went into the living room to play video games to keep her mind busy while she waited for Bubbles to get done. I took the liberty of washing the dishes.

For now, we all had a false sense of peace. The boys could show up at any time.

It was only a matter of time before we had to fight them again.


	29. Chapter 28

**To 101 PrettyKitty: awesome! Thanks for all your reviews, they never fail to make me smile :D**

**To barfing cupcakes: lol you got it! XD**

**To Orioles1997: Bubbles and Boomer are both very sweet and sensitive, so it'll be easier for them to get together. Blossom and Buttercup think a bit more rationally than Bubbles does, too, so of course they're going to resist their counterparts. H****onestly, Brick and Butch are NOT the ideal types of boyfriends. In a sense, they're abusive, however, they haven't really had the chance to be lovey-dovey, what with Buttercup beating the crap out of Butch and Blossom resisting Brick as much as she can. The boys can change and perhaps our favorite super-powered girls can help change them ;)**

**Two chapters in one day? I'm on a ****roll! XD**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 28**

**Buttercup's POV**

As the game character on the television screen lost his life, I let out a deep sigh.

Usually I would swear and shout to high-heaven, but I didn't have the heart to right now. My sisters were already on edge as it was; there was no reason to make them even more nervous.

I pressed a button on the controller and started the level over. As I made my guy move around, I started to get lost in my thoughts.

Butch was completely insane. The next time I fought him, I'd make sure to not only beat the snot out of him, but to also watch my back. He's a dirty fighter -not to say that I'm not- and I know he loves a good chase, especially if I'm the one running from him.

That thought pissed me off. I killed off a few enemies that dared to swarm around my character, temporarily sating my lust for violence.

Butch would never catch me again, that's for sure. I'd rather _die_ than marry that moron.

Besides annoying the shit out of me 24/7, why would he want to marry me? That's a huge step in a relationship, and the only relationship I have with him right now is one filled with violence and curse words; not exactly the type of relationship that's ready for a ring and a wedding march.

So why _me_?

The memory of him kissing me flashed in my mind, then stayed there. I replayed it over and over, desperately searching for some kind of hint that Butch was just fooling around, trying to get under my skin.

Each time, though, I remembered how pleasant his lips felt against mine, and the way that he tilted my head to gain better access to my mouth. It was my first kiss and probably the best kiss I've ever had.

I'm not girly in any way, shape, or form, but I'll admit; replaying that memory over and over again gave me butterflies.

With a frustrated sigh, I threw the controller down and shut the game off. I leaned back into the couch and closed my eyes.

I hated feeling like this. All those lovey-dovey, butterfly feelings were for those sappy hopeless romantics, not the fiercest fighter in Townsville.

Feeling like a sitting duck didn't help, either. I feel like the Rowdyruffs are going to find us any second and I can't stand it. Believe me, I trust Blossom and I'd follow her and Bubbles to the end of the earth if they asked me to, but I can't help but question her decision to go on the run.

Buttercup Utonium doesn't run for _anything_; she fights whatever's threatening her and ends up victorious. That's just the way it is, and the way it always will be.

Then again, there's a reason Blossom's our leader. While I'm often ready to use my fists to solve a problem, Blossom thinks rationally, so if she thinks we should go on the run and hide, who am I to question her?

I sighed again. The sound of running water in the kitchen stopped. I could hear Blossom make her way towards the archway.

"You okay?" she asked. I nodded, opening my eyes.

"Yeah... Just frustrated." Blossom shot me a sympathetic glance.

"Video game?"

"No, our situation with the Rowdyruffs. We're the Powerpuff Girls; we shouldn't be running. We should be beating them into next week."

Blossom sighed. She leaned against the archway.

"Look, I know that you're not a fan of running from a battle, but it's inevitable that if we try to fight the boys, we'll just end up getting captured again. They're a lot stronger than they were back when we were all kids."

"I know," I replied, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to my chest. "But I still want to punch Butch in the face again. His face is just so punch-able."

My red-haired sister giggled. For a split second, it made me feel like everything was okay, that things were back to normal. Blossom hasn't laughed in a while; to hear her sound happy brings me back to the good old days.

"I know you want to beat Butch up, but you're going to have to wait until we encounter them again."

Her tone was serious, but her smile was still full of laughter.

_Good to know that beneath all that hardened maturity is the Blossom I grew up with._

Bubbles emerged from the kitchen.

"Okay, Buttercup, your turn!"

"Oh, how's Robin doing?" Blossom asked, turning towards our younger sister. Bubbles launched into a full story about how Mitch had finally asked Robin to the homecoming dance and whatnot.

I got up and went into the kitchen to call Mitch. He'll probably be disappointed that we won't get to go on a pranking spree after the homecoming dance, but he'll understand.

I picked up the phone and began to dial his number.

I used to have a huge crush on Mitch as a child, but I got over it when we had a long talk about relationships and stuff. Every time I call him, I always remember those days and I can't help but think it would've been a screwed up relationship. Mitch and I are way too different when it comes to affection. He's tough, but he's able to show affection with no qualms. I'm not the type for hugs and kisses and pet names.

He's a better match for Robin, since she's all about that stuff.

But now, standing here with the phone in my hand, I'm not thinking of Mitch and the feelings I used to have.

I'm thinking of Butch.

_You just _had_ to kiss me, didn't you? Freaking lunatic..._


	30. Chapter 29

**To barfing cupcakes: all right, I'll keep that in mind :)**

**To PRETTYBUBBLES123: Thank you, and no, unfortunately. I only want to do the girls' POVs.**

**To magarouge26: thank you! :)**

**Thank you to all my reviewers for your lovely reviews. It might be a little while before I post another chapter; all this writing is starting to take a toll on my fingers and my wrists. Sounds like the beginning of carpal tunnel -_- anyway, just wanted to give you all a little heads-up. Sorry that this chapter is so short and if you don't like it; not feeling too great today, lol. But I hope you enjoy regardless!**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 29**

**Bubbles' POV**

After I finished giving Blossom an update on Robin, I decided to go back upstairs. While I didn't mind chatting with her, I wanted some time to think.

So here I was, sitting in front of the vanity, brushing my hair over and over. When the Professor was still with us, I always like to have my hair shoulder-length, but after his death, I decided to let it grow out. Now it reached the middle of my back.

After brushing through it one final time, I started to run my fingers through it. While I was appreciating the softness of my hair, my mind started to drift to other things.

More accurately, other _people_.

_Boomer_.

I missed him even though I was only at the mansion for roughly a day or two. A lot can happen in two days, though.

I enjoyed talking to him and I liked that he was always so sweet. Boomer was one of the most selfless boys I'd ever met.

And he was also one of the only boys who ever ventured to talk to me.

Ever since my sisters and I finished Pokey Oaks Middle School and transferred to Citysville High, boys ignored me. They always went for Bree.

But Boomer had all the qualities I could ever want in a boy. He was sweet, funny, he was really cute, and he knew how to make me smile. The boys at Citysville were always mean and they weren't funny; just cruel.

I sighed and ran my brush through my hair one last time before setting it down next to Blossom's pink brush.

That hurt look on his face wouldn't go away. I kept thinking about how nice he had been to me and how I repaid him by hurting him.

Even though I loved Boomer dearly, my family came first. I could never pick a boy over Blossom and Buttercup no matter how much I loved him.

Boomer _had_ to understand.

But even so... The memory of that look on his face just wouldn't go away, no matter how much I tried to think of something else.

Finally, I went back downstairs. Blossom was watching television in the living room while Buttercup was still on the phone with Mitch. I sat down next to Blossom and picked up a pillow, hugging it to my chest.

I must have looked as unhappy as I felt because Blossom's attention changed from the television to me.

"Are you doing all right?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Blossom pulled me in for a hug.

"If you want to talk about anything, just let me know, okay? I'm here for you."

"Thanks," I replied. She moved back to her spot and returned her attention to the television, occasionally sending concerned glances my way.

I appreciated that Blossom was there for me, but it didn't erase the heartbreak I had caused myself to feel. I didn't even want to imagine what Boomer was feeling right now.

_I made the right choice_, I tried to tell myself. _Family over boyfriend. I made the best possible choice for myself._

So then, if that was true, why did I slightly regret my choice?

When Buttercup finally got off the phone, she joined us. Blossom changed the channel to some weird movie.

As we sat there, television blaring and filling the uncomfortable silence, all I could think about was my blue counterpart, and whether or not he was thinking of me, too.


	31. Chapter 30

**To Amethyst: hey, thanks! :D**

**To 101 PrettyKitty: aww, thank you so much! And I'm really glad you like this story :D**

**To ANRangel: wow, thanks! That's one hell of a compliment! ^_^**

**To toryflowers14: thank you so much! I'm glad my story doesn't disappoint when it comes to vampires; when I originally started thinking about making a story that crossed the PPGs with vampires, I wasn't sure if it would be well-received by the fan-dom. But now I'm glad I decided to post it, especially when I get such lovely reviews by people like you! :)**

**So guys, I was recently watching some episodes of the Powerpuff Girls to get some inspiration for this story and I've only got one conclusion: they should have made Rowdyruff Boy plushies. I mean, ohmygosh, they're just sooo cute! What do you guys think? XD Would you want to cuddle a lil' plush version of Brick, Boomer, or Butch? I know I would! lol**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 30**

**Blossom's POV**

A violent shiver rippled through me. It was like the heart of winter decided to nestle itself right into our living room.

I opened my eyes and wrapped my arms around myself.

_What the...?_

The entire living room was covered in ice. Small icy flakes fell from the ceiling to join the rest of the ice on the floor.

Bubbles and Buttercup weren't sitting on the couch anymore.

_Where have they gone? Didn't I tell them to notify me if they were going to go out somewhere? We were supposed to stay together._

"B-B-Bubbles?" I called, barely suppressing a shiver._ Sheesh, where did all this ice come from? It's so cold._

I stood up, my feet crunching on the frozen carpet.

I went upstairs and searched through every room.

"B-B-Buttercup?" I tried. The entire house was quiet, save for the soft howling of the chilly winter air.

_Where are they?_

Once I was finished checking the entire upstairs -even the Professor's room-, I found myself in the kitchen.

The tile flooring was so slippery I couldn't even stand; I had to float.

Outside, the weather looked normal for late fall. Townsville rarely got any snow during November; we usually started getting snowfall in December. That's when the weather really became cold.

_What's going on?_

The sound of footsteps made me jump.

_That sounds like something's upstairs_, I thought.

I rushed upstairs, hoping and praying that either Bubbles or Buttercup was there, waiting for me to find them.

Every door upstairs was closed for some reason, except for our bedroom door.

Never one to waste time, I flew inside.

"Girls, are you in here? Girls -"

My breath caught in my throat.

Buttercup and Bubbles were here, all right.

They were completely frozen.

"Oh my gosh... Girls, what happened to you?"

They were laying on our bed, in their respective colors, completely frozen to the bed.

I used my laser-eyes to melt the ice off them. Once the ice was gone, I began to shake them.

"Come on, girls, wake up! Wake up!"

Neither of them stirred.

Tears began to well up in my eyes.

"Come on, you _have_ to wake up! Don't you dare die on me, you hear me? I _need_ you!"

Still no signs of life. Bubbles' normally lovely skin was deathly pale. She was cold to the touch.

Buttercup fared no better; her eyes looked sunken in, dark rings lurking underneath them.

I stopped shaking them and slumped to the frozen carpet.

Tears were beginning to roll down my cheeks. Shakily, I lifted a hand to try to wipe them away,

_My sisters are dead._

_No, no, they can't be. They're all I have left._

Suddenly, I tensed.

Something was wrong.

A low hissing noise sounded from behind me, on the bed. I immediately got up and turned around.

Bubbles and Buttercup were both crouched on the bed, staring at me. Their eyes were lively and more vibrant than I had ever seen them, and they were the essence of perfection. The beauty that my sisters possessed was not humanly possible.

Buttercup grinned, revealing two deadly-looking fangs.

"What's wrong, _Leader-girl_?" she hissed. Her voice sounded like poison-dipped daggers, if that even sounds possible.

Bubbles smiled innocently, revealing her own pair of fangs. "Something the matter, _Blossom_?"

"You're vampires," I whispered. My legs were shaking at this point. "B-but how did you.."

Butch and Boomer appeared next to the girls, and all four of them began to stalk towards me. I backed up until I hit something solid. Arms wrapped around my waist and I immediately started to struggle.

"What's the matter, _babe_?"

"Brick!" I cried. The others were closing in on us. "Let me go! They're going to _kill_ me!"

"Not kill you, _change_ you," he corrected. "It won't hurt, Blossy. Just succumb to it."

He turned me around so that I was facing the vanity.

My skin was incredibly pallid and my features were inhumanly beautiful. Everything about me was perfect, so perfect that it sickened me.

I opened my mouth and, much to my own horror, I was greeted by a pair of glistening fangs.

Brick turned me back around to face my sisters and their counterparts. They all let out ferocious growls before pouncing.

That's when I started screaming.

* * *

"Blossom!"

I thrashed around, screaming for all I was worth.

"Don't touch me! Get off!"

"Blossom, it's _me! _It's Buttercup! Get a hold of yourself, Leader-girl!"

My eyes snapped open. I was breathing hard, trying to calm down after hearing my sister's voice.

I was laying on the couch, facing the ceiling. Buttercup and Bubbles were leaning over me, both wearing concerned expressions, Bubbles more so than Buttercup.

"What the hell were you dreaming about?" Buttercup asked. "You nearly punched Bubbles in the face."

I sat up. "N-nothing; sorry, Bubbles. Can you two open your mouths?"

My sisters shared a skeptical glance.

"Why?" Bubbles asked softly. "What did you dream?"

"Please just do it." I grabbed my head, trying to ward off the oncoming headache from screaming so much. "It'll give me some peace of mind."

Both girls opened their mouths.

No fangs.

_Oh, thank God._

"Can you please tell us what you were dreaming about?" Buttercup asked impatiently. "Seriously; I don't think I've ever seen you look so scared."

I hugged my knees to my chest. "You... You won't laugh, will you?"

Bubbles blinked. "Why would we laugh?"

Maybe it was best not to tell them. We were already on-edge; my nightmare would only make matters worse.

"Never mind; my dream wasn't important."

Suddenly, Buttercup grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. She started to shake me.

"If you don't tell us what the hell made you scream like that, I swear, I'll... I'll do something violent!"

I rolled my eyes. "All right, all right. Let go; I'll tell you."

Buttercup obliged. Both girls stared at me expectantly.

I breathed a sigh.

"Well, I was here, in our house, but it was completely frozen. There was ice everywhere, but that wasn't the scary part. I couldn't find you anywhere. No matter how much I searched, I couldn't find either of you. So, I went into the kitchen to see if you guys were downstairs, but then I heard something upstairs. So I went to investigate."

I swallowed the lump that was starting to lodge itself in my throat.

"A-and you guys were frozen to the bed. I unfroze you guys only to find that y-you were d-dead..."

Bubbles' eyes widened. Buttercup's features remained void of emotion.

"T-then I started to cry, and you both woke up. You were v-vampires. A-and then B-brick was there and he brought me to the vanity. I was one, too. Then you guys all pounced on me, and, well, here we are."

I finished with a shaky laugh, even though deep inside, I was scared out of my wits.

Bubbles burst into tears and threw her arms around me.

"Oh, Blossom, that's horrible!" she cried. I gently patted her back, 'shh'ing her and telling her that it was just a dream.

"Sounds like anxiety to me," Buttercup said, finally. "You're scared of losing us and becoming a vampire, and your fears manifested in your subconscious."

I blinked.

For Buttercup, that was a pretty accurate analysis.

"Most likely," I replied. "You have no idea how much of a relief it is to see you both alive and fang-less."

Buttercup cracked a smile. "Come on, Blossom, do you really think Bubbles and I would get turned into vampires? Hell would have to freeze over first."

"Well, looks like there's a forecast of snow in hell, then," a deep voice growled behind us. My sisters and I stiffened. "Because it's time for you guys to meet your fate."

Slowly, the three of us turned around.

Brick, Boomer, and Butch were standing right behind the couch.

"Oh, shit," Buttercup muttered.

_I couldn't agree more._


	32. Chapter 31

**To magarouge26 & Dark Shining Light: thanks! :D**

**To Boa, Lee, and Fay: I have a feeling you're the same person, just under different anonymous names. I apologize if I'm wrong. T****he Ruffs and Puffs _may_ get together later on, and what do you mean by 'other 4'?**

**To PureBliss288: sorry you were scared lol and thanks! In this story, nothing is supposed to stay peaceful! ;D**

**To Gallagher girl14 & Orioles1997: thank you! :)**

**You guys are in for a treat! I've got two updates for ya.**

**As always, sorry for any mistakes.**

**Enjoy!**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 31**

**Buttercup's POV**

Time seemed to work strangely for a minute. For a second, everyone was frozen, waiting for someone to make the first move.

Then time unfroze when I decided enough was enough and made the first move.

I flew into Butch, taking him by surprise and knocking him to the floor. While I held him down, I looked over my shoulder at my sisters, who were just sitting on the couch, dumbfounded.

"Run!" I yelled. "Get out of here!"

Blossom and Bubbles both snapped out of their shocked trances. They both flew through the window and disappeared into the outside world.

At least, they attempted to. Blossom was able to get out, with Brick in hot pursuit.

Boomer intercepted Bubbles before she reached the window. He tackled her and they rolled, smashing into the couch. Boomer tried to pin her hands above her head, but Bubbles wasn't having it. She managed to kick him off of her, sending him flying across the room.

Butch and I rolled, with me getting in a good couple of slaps and punches. Surprisingly, my insane counterpart didn't try to hit me as much as he kept trying to restrain me.

Boomer got back on his feet and began to fight with Bubbles, both of them a blur of light blue and dark blue.

Finally, Butch had me pinned against the floor. I tried to bring my knees up, but he sat down on my waist. I let out a scream of frustration.

Boomer had grabbed Bubbles around the waist from behind. He held her arms behind her and whispered something in her ear. She started to fight harder, but Boomer tightened his grip. Finally, my younger sister slumped against him, defeated.

Brick entered the house carrying an unconscious Blossom, a triumphant smirk plastered onto his face.

I noticed, with pride, that he had a big purple bruise forming on his cheek.

_Not too shabby for Miss Know-it-all._

"All right, boys, time for us to head back and prepare," Brick said, his deep voice booming through the room. "But first, make sure you knock them out. We don't need them awake and trying to get out of their restraints like last time."

I tried to get Butch off me for the umpteenth time, but he wouldn't budge. He grinned down at me and, though I hate to admit it, the look in his eyes scared the shit out of me.

"Sorry 'bout this, baby; Boss's orders."

I opened my mouth to ask what he was apologizing for when he suddenly grabbed my head and slammed it to the floor.

_You son of a bitch_, was my last thought before I blacked out.


	33. Chapter 32

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 32**

**Bubbles' POV**

Butch slammed Buttercup's head into the floor and she groaned before she blacked out.

"Buttercup!" I cried. I tried to get out of Boomer's hold, but he had a firm grip on my biceps.

"Sorry, Bubbles, but orders are orders," Boomer whispered. Suddenly, his hands moved to my waist.

"No!" I kicked backwards, my foot coming into sharp contact with his calf, and I was immediately released.

"Damn it!" Boomer hissed, clutching his injured calf. For a second I felt guilty for hurting him, but I quickly brushed it aside.

"Buttercup! Buttercup, I'm coming!"

Butch quickly noticed me and picked my unconscious sister up. I went to punch him when Boomer caught me around the waist.

"Oh, no you don't!"

"Let me go!"

"Bubbles, you're only making this harder for everyone," he said, and that's when something sharp hit the back of my head.

"Girls..." Everything faded into a dark blur.

_Girls..._

* * *

"Girls!" I cried, sitting up in bed. I was breathing hard.

I was back in our bedroom, darkness surrounding me. The moon cast an otherworldly glow through the window, just barely reaching my side of the bed.

Beside me, Blossom and Buttercup were both sound asleep.

"Oh, thank God," I whispered. "It was all just a dream."

My mouth felt drier than a desert, so I decided to go to the bathroom to get a glass of water. I floated down the hall, taking care not to make a sound.

Just as I reached the bathroom, something told me to check the Professor's bedroom.

Hesitantly, I opened the door a crack. A sharp, pungent smell greeted my nose and I gagged.

It smelled like _death_ in his room.

Despite the sick feeling in my stomach, something made me open the door even more, revealing a dead, decayed version of my father. His lifeless eyes were still in their sockets, staring aimlessly up at the ceiling. I went to scream, but no sound came out.

I raced back to my room to get my sisters when I noticed them sitting upright, both covering their faces.

"Girls, thank God you're awake!" I jumped onto the bed. "It's the Professor, h-he's -"

Suddenly, both girls uncovered their faces and grinned, revealing sharp fangs. Their features were much too beautiful to be human.

I screamed, sound actually coming out this time. Blossom and Buttercup leaped forward, fangs bared.

Right when they were going to bite me, I -

* * *

My eyes flew open. The thick, inky-black darkness around me did nothing to soothe my nerves.

A thousand scary thoughts raced through my mind and I whimpered.

_There's no such thing as monsters, there's no such thing as monsters, there's -_

Something beside me moved. I screamed and tried to move away from it when a hand was placed on my shoulder.

"Bubbles?"

I stopped trying to move away. "B-Blossom?"

"Yes," she confirmed. My eyes began to adjust to the darkness until finally, I could see everything clearly. Laying on her side a few feet away from us was Buttercup, still asleep. Blossom was just starting to sit up.

"Where are we?" she asked.

I bit my lip. "I wish I knew. We were fighting with the Rowdyruffs and then... I can't remember."

"I can't remember either." She winced, clutching her head. "But I know that when I find Brick, I'm gonna kick his ass to China and back for striking me."

As we sat in the darkness, Blossom trying to rub her temples and I trying to figure out what kind of room we were in, I couldn't help but think that, for the moment, things were okay. We weren't walking on eggshells, waiting for the boys to bust in and attack us, and we didn't have any pressing responsibilities to attend to at the moment.

We simply _were_. We were still alive, at the very least.

Well... Until the boys came back and carried out their ritual, that is.


	34. Chapter 33

**To barfing cupcakes: LOL! Dude, you're awesome, and thank you XD**

**To Caitielynnlynn: thank you! :)**

**Thank you to ALL reviewers! I'm sorry if I didn't reply to some of you personally this time; know that whoever you are, you do have my gratitude! I didn't get to sleep much last night lol so I'm kind of out of it today :P**

**I don't own the PPG**

* * *

**Chapter 33**

**Blossom's POV**

I tried to rub my temples in an attempt to keep the oncoming headache at bay. When Brick and I fought, he hit me in the head so hard, that I just passed out. Thanks to him, waves of pain were still crashing over my head, splashing over my brain and causing me to wish desperately for a painkiller.

Bubbles was staring into space, probably lost in her own thoughts, and Buttercup was still down for the count.

The thought of Brick caused butterflies to well up within my stomach, yet the way he acted sent me mixed signals. One minute, he's sweet and it seems like there's a nicer person deep within him, the next, we're fighting like we always have.

I had no idea what to think about him. 'Enemy' was no longer an accurate way to describe our relationship.

Love-hate was more like it.

"B-Blossom?"

I turned to look at Bubbles. Her big blue eyes were wide with fright.

"What do you think the boys will do with us?"

Wincing at another wave of pain, I sighed.

"If I'm not mistaken, they're probably going to keep us in here for a little while for who-knows-why, then they're going to turn us into vampires."

Bubbles' eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to be a vampire."

"I don't either, but -"

Suddenly, it hit me.

_That_ was how we could beat the boys.

"Bubbles, I have an idea."

Her frightened demeanor changed to one of curiosity. "What is it?"

"Though I don't want to be a vampire either, if we go along with this ritual the boys keep talking about, then we'll be able to defeat them."

Yes, that was _it_! Though it would take sacrifice on our part, we could once again defeat the Rowdyruff Boys!

"Okay, Bubbles, here's the gist of it," I said. "Basically, we let the boys turn us. I know you don't want to be a vampire; I don't want to be one, either. But if we let them turn us, we'll be just as strong as them, if not stronger. Using our new strength, we'll be able to defeat them and go home."

Bubbles' eyes lit up as my plan registered within her mind. Suddenly, though, she frowned.

"But Blossom, if we get turned, then we won't be able to go home."

I nodded. "Of course we will. We'll just have to be careful about how we act in public so that no one suspects our condition."

"No, Blossom, I'm talking about the blood lust. We're going to have to drink blood every now and then. How are we going to do that?"

I bit my lip. She had a point; how _were_ we going to keep ourselves fed? Though we were the Powerpuff Girls, we couldn't just head down to hospitals and steal blood; stealing was often what got the criminals of Townsville into trouble with us. What kind of example would we be setting?

"We'll figure that out when the time comes," I replied. "But right now, I think we should see how Buttercup's doing. She hasn't stirred once, not even when you screamed."

"Butch _did_ slam her head pretty hard into the floor."

"All the more reason to check on her. That idiot probably gave her a nice little concussion."

Bubbles and I crawled over to Buttercup, who was starting to twitch in her sleep. Her breathing was starting to hitch and her cheeks grew pink. Whatever she was dreaming about must have been pretty good for her to blush like that.

"Come on, Buttercup, it's time to wake up. Bubbles and I are going to need your help."

This plan had better work, because if my sisters and I had to end up drinking blood for eternity _and_ being married to the Ruffs, well... Let's just hope there's a vampire slayer somewhere nearby.


	35. Chapter 34

**To Boa: thanks! And they ****_may_**** get together. Nothing is set in stone ;)**

**To cococandy21: who ****_wouldn't_**** wanna be with Brick? XD**

**To Mystery99: sometimes big sacrifices are crucial to reaching your goal, and the girls' goal is getting away from the RRB.**

**To PureBliss288: aww thanks! Concussions are ****_not_**** fun, lol. They're quite painful.**

**To A Bubbly girl: ... I like your randomness! XD**

**To mlbv-grimm: oh, really? ;) well, let's see if you're right! lol**

**My favorite quote ever is "When you stumble, make it part of the dance." I'm not quite sure who the author of said quote is, but I did use it in this chapter. I don't own it and I'm not trying to take any credit for it, so please don't sue me!**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 34**

**Buttercup's POV**

My head hurt so much.

I couldn't wait to get a hold of Butch. Man, was _he_ in for an ass-whooping.

I opened my eyes and, for a second, I couldn't make out any solid shapes. Everything was just a cream-yellow mix, something darker occasionally passing by, mixing up the color a little bit.

When my eyes finally adjusted, I was able to figure out that I was in some sort of large room. Three sparkling chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling, giving off a regal glow to the room. The dark-colored shapes that were spinning were couples slow-dancing around a marble-tiled floor. Most of the women wore old puffy dresses that bounced and swayed as they moved, the men wearing suits and fancy accessories.

I sat up, rubbing the back of my head, only to feel fabric crunch underneath my thighs.

A light-green sight greeted me. It took me a minute to figure out that I was wearing a green Southern Belle dress. The armholes were surrounded by silk ruffles; the bottom puffed out around my waist, the starch and the crinoline beneath it keeping its round shape.

I was laying on a love seat, in a pretty green dress, with my hair slightly curled.

What the hell was I doing in a ballroom and where were my sisters? Were they here, or... Or...

_Ugh, I can't think. It's this freaking girly dress. Whoever decided to play dress up with my unconscious body is gonna get smacked upside the head._

A shadow cast itself over me and I looked up.

Standing before me, dressed in an expensive-looking tux with his hair stylishly messy, was Butch. He wasn't smirking for once; a perfect, genuine smile graced his features as he held out a hand.

My body reacted for me. I took his hand and he led me out onto the dance floor. Couples parted to allow us a path to the center of the room. As Butch placed a hand on my waist and took my hand, we began to slow dance.

Considering I had no idea how to dance, I was having a mental freak out.

"Butch, I don't know how to dance," I tried to say, but the words sounded like they were underwater, muffled and drowned out by the music around us. The couples, who had stopped dancing, watched us intently, which did nothing to help soothe my nerves.

Was Butch going to make a fool out of me in front of all these fancy-schmancy people? I couldn't slow dance for my life. Now, _break_ dancing, that's something that's easy for me to learn! Much more loose; easier to freestyle.

My gaze happened to linger towards Butch and I found that he was staring at me.

_Is there something on my face...?_

Suddenly, the dance turned into something funky, with lots of crazy moves, twirls, and dips. I found myself having lots of fun, even though I had no idea what I was doing and my body was on some sort of auto-pilot mode. I just moved my legs and my hips and enjoyed the feel of the rhythm swirling around me.

I almost fell at one point, but Butch caught me effortlessly, turning my stumble into a dance step.

Near the end, Butch had twirled me so much that I was starting to grow dizzy. I was amazed that he could dance so well; sure, I'm a tough girl, but I do like it when guys know how to do certain things, like cooking, dancing...

He caught me and dipped me, just low enough so that the tips of my hair brushed the floor.

As I stared into his beautiful green eyes, I couldn't help but notice how handsome he truly was. Butch had this aura about him, like he had deeper feelings and thoughts, like once you got past the whole 'insane' facade, there was a gentler person inside.

Butch began to lean down, our lips mere inches from touching, and once he finally decided to make his move -

_"Come on, Buttercup, it's time to wake up..."_

Blossom's voice echoed throughout the room, breaking the watery sound barrier.

_"...Bubbles and I are going to need your help."_

Butch suddenly stepped away, leaving me all alone in the middle of the room. Everything began to move at once, spinning around and around and around...

* * *

"Buttercup?"

I opened my eyes and I was greeted by pink and blue stares.

"Guys?" I asked, hoarsely. Bubbles placed a hand on my forehead.

"You have a slight fever," she stated. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Fever? What the hell are you talking about?"

I sat up, regretting the swift action immediately, and clutched the back of my head.

"Damn it," I muttered. "Butch did a number on my head. I can't wait to slam _his_ head to the floor a few times and see how _he_ likes it."

I lifted a hand to my forehead and felt warmth there. My hand drifted down to my cheek and it was also warm.

_Oh man, I'm blushing._

"Uh, so... What's up?" I asked. I could feel Bubbles' curious stare, but I didn't feel like relaying the details of the princess-y dream I'd just had.

Stuff like that was private. End of story.

"I've got a plan," Blossom said. "And it involves us going along with the boys' plans."

"Are you _nuts_?!" I exploded. "I'm not turning into a freaking vampire just because it's a part of your plan!"

"Do you have a better one?" she hissed. I opened my mouth to speak, then realized I really didn't have anything to say. She nodded.

"That's what I thought. Now, listen closely: if we cooperate with the boys and turn into vampires, we'll have the same strength as them. We'll be able to hopefully beat them at their own game and get out of here."

"You're crazy," I replied. "What happens afterwards, huh? We find some sort of a cure for vampirism?"

Blossom blinked before she hugged me.

"Buttercup, you're a _genius_!"

"I am? Oh, uh, of course I am."

With that, Blossom launched into a full explanation of her plan, leaving out no details.

But... Even if we could get out of here and away from the boys, they would find us and eventually capture us again.

Boomer may have been the quiet, sappy baby that liked Bubbles, but Brick and Butch were much more persistent and violent.

Even Blossom had to know that if we got out of here, we were just buying time. The boys wouldn't stop unless we killed them, and I'm no murderer.

I tried to pay attention to Blossom's explanations, but my mind kept drifting back to that dream. Everything seemed so real; the music, the movement, the smell of perfumes and colognes blending together...

But I _hate_ dancing, and I _hate_ anything romantic or emotional.

My dream had both elements. Why would I want to dance with _Butch_, of all people? Why not Mitch or some other guy from school? Maybe a neighborhood kid?

A fluttery feeling welled up within my stomach when I thought about the almost-kiss. I remembered how I started feeling like that when Mitch and I were younger and we'd hang out. I always used to think that maybe I was sick until I finally went online and looked up my symptoms.

Was I _falling_ for Butch?

No way. Feelings take time to build up, and to fall in love, you've got to talk to a person and really get to know them first. I didn't know much about Butch besides the fact that we were both violent people with short fuses and we had attitudes that pissed off our leaders.

So then... Why do I feel so weird? It's like this longing feeling has settled inside me, like I want to just spend time with Butch.

"Buttercup, are you paying attention?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up. Blossom and Bubbles were staring at me.

"Huh? Oh! S-sorry, I kind of spaced out there. Come again?"

Blossom let out a frustrated sigh and started over.

I forced myself to focus on her words, but Butch kept invading my mind.

_Would it really be horrible to marry him? Would he be a total butthead and treat me like a slave, ordering me to make him food and clean? Or would he act differently?_

I bit my lip.

_Okay, Buttercup, you're getting out of here soon. If you fall for him, it'll only lead to trouble, so just forget about all the weird stuff you're thinking about and focus on what Blossom's saying._

_Right!_

_Right..._

_Oh, who am I kidding?_

_I'm starting to fall for the arrogant bastard._


	36. Chapter 35

**To barfing cupcakes: well, here ya go! XD**

**To mlbv-grimm: really? Awesome! :D**

**To Orioles1997: BC really would! She's always this tough girl, but she needs to understand that it's OK to go girly sometimes! Glad you like the story! You're too cool, dude! XD**

**Thank you to all my other reviewers! :D**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 35**

**Bubbles' POV**

Blossom had gone over her plan a few more times so that Buttercup and I would completely understand it.

Buttercup kept getting lost in her thoughts. Her face felt really warm; was she feeling okay?

Suddenly, metallic sounds began to echo through the room. I looked around, anxious to find out what was making the sounds when Blossom sighed.

"All right, girls, they're opening the door. Remember what I told you, and please be careful."

A door opened, allowing light to flood the room. I held a hand up to shield my eyes until they adjusted. Buttercup and Blossom did the same.

Footsteps echoed off the walls. When my eyes were ready, I looked up to see Boomer holding out a hand.

I looked to Blossom, who nodded, and I took Boomer's hand. He helped me to a standing position and led me out of the room.

We walked down hallway after hallway, doors and paintings passing in a slow rhythm.

"You know what I'm going to do, don't you?"

Boomer's voice interrupted the silence like a rock falling into a still pond. I nearly jumped, even though his voice was soft.

"Yes," I replied.

"And you know that I can't let you run away from this. You and your sisters may not want this and you probably hate us, but I promise you, we have our reasons."

"You probably just want us to be vampires just so that while we're confused and still adjusting, you and your brothers can cause trouble in Townsville."

Boomer glanced at me before returning his attention forward.

"No. We have little to no interest in Townsville."

I was confused. "Then why do you want us to be vampires so badly? Why can't we stay human and date you guys as humans?"

We came to Boomer's bedroom. He opened the door and gestured for me to step in first. I obliged, and Boomer stepped in after me, closing the door behind himself.

"Bubbles, you don't understand," he started. I cut him off.

"No, I _don't_ understand, so please tell me what's really going on here."

He ran his fingers through his hair. I noticed how soft it looked and how lovely his blue eyes looked in this light. His lips looked so kissable, so soft and full...

"I like you a lot, and though I like you human, my brothers and I feel it's best that you guys change into vampires so that you'll be stronger than you are now."

"But why?" I asked. "Why would you care about our strength? Weren't you guys created to kill us?"

He went over and took a seat on the bed.

"Originally, but once Him and Mojo disappeared, we starting thinking for ourselves," Boomer explained. "And sometimes, when you guys would go to school, we'd always try to go up and talk to you, but we'd chicken out. Butch has been dying to get with Buttercup and Brick is head-over-heels in love with Blossom. And, well, I really like you."

I blushed. "You... You understand that I had to choose my family over you... Right?"

"As much as it irritated me at the time, yes, I understand." Boomer patted the space next to him. I hesitated, looking back at the door.

_I hope your plan works, Blossom. If it doesn't, then we're screwed._

Finally, I took a seat next to Boomer. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pressed his lips to my forehead.

"I'm going to be right here when you wake up," he reassured. "And I'll try to make it as quick and painless as possible."

Butterflies churned in my stomach, both good and bad.

"Do you promise?"

Boomer rested his forehead against mine. "I promise. It's just like going to sleep."

"Okay. Just get it over with, then."

"Well, hang on. Before we do, I wanted to spend one more hour with you. You know, before you're no longer human. Uh... As long as that's okay with you...?"

I smiled. Now that things seemed okay between us, spending time together sounded like a wonderful idea.

Besides... I was going to die after the hour was done, and if Boomer screwed up or Blossom's calculations were off, then I really would die. That would be it.

Then again, I'd be able to see the Professor again. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad.

No. Blossom was _always_ right. She knew how dire this situation was and she wouldn't tell us to go off with our vampire counterparts if she lacked confidence in her plan.

_Well, whatever happens, I'll just have to trust Blossom and Boomer._

"Actually, that sounds nice."

Boomer moved the curtains away from the window, letting in the light of the full moon, then joined me back on the bed.

We ended up curling up together on the bed, snuggling under the blue comforter.

Boomer and I didn't need to say anything; we just listened to the sounds around us; the creaking floors, the sighing and groaning of the floorboards expanding and creaking, and the howling of the wind outside.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, I started to fall asleep.

Boomer kissed my forehead, whispered that he loved me and that it would only hurt for a second, before something sharp pierced my shoulder. As I began to feel colder and colder, my thoughts drifted towards my sisters.

I wondered how they were doing.

My wondering stopped when I finally fell into the cold embrace of death.


	37. Chapter 36

**To Mystery99: Ah, perhaps I'm mean for saying this, but I found your review kind of funny. I appreciate your taking the time to read and review my story, and I'm happy that you like this story and hold it in such a high regard. I don't know if you've noticed, but I update this story faster than a wildfire spreading through a dry field of wheat. I update practically every day, if not every couple of hours, and as much as my chapters are short, it's not like I'm leaving everyone with a tiny chapter, then going months and months without updating (no offense to anyone out there!). Typing out these chapters can be very painful if you've got carpal tunnel like I have, so as much as I love posting new chapters ASAP, I have to give my wrists a break. If you're disappointed in the fact that the last chapter was short, well, hey, I tried. Thanks for reviewing, though. Oh, and as far as the shoulder thing; I might actually change that. Thanks for pointing that out.**

**To LuvChipmunkPPG: Well, I've read a lot of vampire stories, so there are a lot of ways people can get turned, lol! From what I've heard, the vampire drains their victim, then shares a little of their own blood, and POOF!... Another vampire. :P**

**To Boa: thank you for clearing that up, and no problem! And again, I'm sorry; it's very hard to know who you're talking to when someone is a guest reviewer, unless you keep going by the same name. As for the boys and the girls (blues, greens, and reds), they will eventually get together, but that will not be in this story, rather it will be in the sequel! :)**

**To AshBlondeP: thanks! :D**

**To toryflowers14: no problem! And thank you, I'll look forward to future reviews from ya! :D**

**To barfing cupcakes: Yes, there will be a sequel! :D But I have a few more chapters to get out, probably three at the most, so I hope you'll be on the lookout for a sequel!**

**Hey guys, so as I've written to my awesome reviewers, there WILL be a sequel! I will let you all know the title and a sneak peek of it as soon as I figure things out. Sound good? :)**

**Sorry for any mistakes ;P**

**On with the chapter!**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 36**

**Blossom's POV**

I watched Bubbles leave the room with Boomer. I noticed how gentle Boomer was with my sister and that reassured me that she'd be okay. He wouldn't hurt her and Bubbles would be perfectly fine during the transformation.

Butch approached Buttercup and held a hand out to help her up. Buttercup smacked his hand away, even though she was clearly blushing, and got up on her own, huffing and brushing herself off. After a minute or so, they both left the room, Buttercup casting me a look that said 'this better work or else'.

Brick helped me up and wrapped an arm around my waist. When we could no longer hear the footsteps of both my sisters and their counterparts, Brick leaned down and kissed me.

Sparks and tingles exploded around our lips, and I couldn't help but kiss him back.

I remembered how I made myself fall asleep, pretending that he was holding me around the waist.

_Well, now that I'm alone with him and I'm about to basically die, I might as well have fun._

I turned so that I could fully kiss him, tangling my fingers in his silky red hair. Brick wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him, never once breaking our lip-lock.

Finally, when I needed to breathe, I pulled away.

Scarlet eyes blinked at me in the dark. They weren't as hard and serious as I'd always known them to be; they were soft, full of adoration.

"Ready?" he asked. I nodded.

Brick picked me up bridal-style and carried me down the hall.

As he walked, I rested my head against his chest. His shirt smelled really good, like french vanilla mixed with earth. It was a rather weird scent, but not in a bad sense.

When we finally arrived at Brick's room, I noticed that the window I busted through days ago was fixed, replaced by a newer, clearer window.

Brick gently set me on my feet and then took a seat on the bed.

"You know, for a goody two-shoes, you've got some fight in you," he joked, pointing to his bruised cheek. I laughed softly.

"Well, that's one reason why I'm the leader of the Powerpuff Girls."

He patted the bed and I reluctantly sat next to him. Brick went over to the window and moved the drapes even more to the side, giving the full moon more access to the room.

"You're probably nervous," he stated, staring out at the night sky.

I didn't reply.

"That's to be expected. Not everyone is offered immortality."

"What exactly will this transformation be like?" I asked.

"Simple: I'm going to bite you and take as much blood as possible. When you're near the edge of death, I'll give you a little of my own blood and that will trigger the transformation. The rays of the full moon will enhance the transformation, giving you more powerful abilities than simply waking up with heightened senses."

I bit my lip. "And... You won't try anything funny while I'm asleep?"

"My brothers and I don't have any use for Townsville," Brick replied. "We don't really need candy and video games like we did when we were kids."

"I see." I smiled softly. The Rowdyruff Boys always used to break into the arcade and the local candy store, either stealing candy or throwing around threats to clear the arcade for their own use. I suppose now the candy store owner could finally sleep easy knowing that the Ruffs were done stealing from his shop.

Brick turned away from the window and sat beside me on the bed.

"I, uh... I'm sorry that I hurt you the last couple of days," Brick said, staring down at his Converse. "I really didn't mean to throw hard punches, but I'm not always aware of my strength. You got a few good hits in, and I guess I understand why you continued to run from me. I, uh, I'm not really good at showing people that I care about them."

I pulled him into a hug, surprising him. Slowly, Brick hugged me back.

"Well, for starters, you don't attack them and try to beat them into the ground," I whispered, both jokingly and seriously. Brick sighed.

"But you didn't do any permanent damage, so just as long as you don't try to fight me again, I forgive you," I finished.

After a few minutes of just holding each other, Brick pulled away and pecked my lips.

"Are you scared?"

Am I scared? No.

I'm _terrified_.

In a couple of hours, I'm going to be a vampire, something I'm really not looking forward to.

However, Buttercup's mention of a cure for vampirism reminded me of Brick's words. If he and his brothers were initially looking for a cure, then perhaps I could come up with something.

Maybe instead of going through the turning process and beating the boys, I could just try to buy us a little time and research the symptoms of vampirism, some known allergies (like garlic), natural toxins, and see what I could come up with.

"Brick, what if I could come up with a cure?" I blurted. "What if there was a way for me to help you and your brothers become human again?"

"You're smart enough to come up with a cure," Brick said. "But my brothers and I have made up our minds. Vampires or not, we've had our sights set on you three, and my brothers are already turning your sisters. If you created a cure right now, you'd be the only human living with us, and with newborn vampires, that's not a good idea."

I wanted to protest, but Brick had a point. If my sisters were turned, I'd want to be turned with them, even though I didn't want to necessarily be a vampire. I may be an independent lady, but my sisters are the only family I have left. If they're going to go through this, then I'll go through it with them.

"It's getting late." Brick's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Are you ready?"

I nodded.

Brick and I moved back towards the pillows. I settled down and Brick positioned himself behind me, his mouth inches away from the spot between my shoulder and my neck.

"I'm going to try to make this fast, all right?"

"Please just get it over with," I replied. I just wanted to get back to my sisters and see how they were faring.

Brick pressed his lips to the tender skin, searching for a good place to bite, when his lips moved towards my neck.

I knew there was a major artery in my neck, but that would just hurt much more. If Brick wasn't careful, I could bleed to death.

"Brick, d-don't -"

"Blossom, it'll only take a second. I promise."

Finally, his fangs pierced my neck. It hurt for a second before the pain quickly faded away. As Brick drew more and more blood, I began to feel weaker and colder. Right as I was about to close my eyes and breathe my last, Brick stopped drinking from me and instead pulled me into his chest.

Before he could do anything more, I let my eyes drift closed, and then everything else around me seemed to fade away.


	38. Chapter 37

**To ANRangel: yay! And thank you :D**

**To 101 PrettyKitty: hahaha I'm in love with them, too, so don't worry ;D**

**To Mistystar4Life: thanks! :)**

**I don't own the PPGs.**

* * *

**Chapter 37**

**Buttercup's POV**

The door opened, allowing light to flood the room. When my eyes finally adjusted, I could see the silhouettes of the boys. Boomer helped Bubbles to her feet and led her out of the room. Butch approached me, holding out his hand to help me up, but I smacked his hand away.

In love with him or not, I still had to keep up appearances.

Besides, that asshole slammed my head to the ground. Before things change between us, I owe him some good ol' fashioned payback.

I stood on my own and brushed myself, letting out a soft 'hmph'.

Butch rolled his eyes and started to leave the room. I gave Blossom one final glance before following my counterpart down the hall.

Neither of us spoke as we continued down the dimly-lit hallway. Butch had his hands in his pockets, thumbs sticking out, occasionally whistling. Surprisingly, his whistling didn't grate on my nerves; usually when people whistled, it annoyed the hell out of me. On the inside, I felt strangely calm.

When we finally arrived at Butch's bedroom, he opened the door for me. I didn't move.

"Well?" he asked. "You gonna go in?"

"Just one last thing before we do this."

Butch cocked an eyebrow at me. In a flash, I had punched him in the gut. He doubled over, clutching his stomach.

"What... Was that for?" he wheezed, rubbing at the hurt area.

"For slamming my head to the floor repeatedly," I replied, stepping into his room. "Don't do it again or I'll aim my punches lower."

I walked over to the bed and sat down.

When Butch was able to walk again without holding his stomach, he stepped into the room and closed the door behind himself. He joined me on the bed.

An awkward silence ensued. Now that we were alone, my feelings for him were becoming more and more evident. Butterflies fluttered and dived around my stomach mercilessly. My heart began to beat faster and my palms started to grow clammy.

Butch didn't look angry for once, and that crazed look in his eyes was nowhere to be found.

"So," he began. "Are you ready for this?"

_No, not really._

"Yeah, sure."

Butch leaned over and kissed me. Normally I would punch him for this, but, well, I kind of had a few reasons not to.

One, I was going to die in a few minutes, and I might as well spend my remaining minutes having fun.

Two... I liked Butch. A _lot_.

Butch pulled away, surprised when I climbed onto his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Well? Are you just gonna stare at me or kiss me?"

Butch wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer, and eagerly placed his lips on mine again.

We began to kiss vigorously, stopping occasionally so that I could breathe.

I eventually started to tangle my fingers in his hair, sometimes grabbing at his hair sharply to remind him just who he was making out with. He didn't seem to mind.

Butch responded by letting his tongue explore my mouth.

He pulled away quickly. "We should get this over with."

I rolled my eyes. "Way to ruin the moment."

Butch laughed softly. He rested his forehead against mine.

"Don't worry, babe, we'll have lots of time to kiss once you're finished turning."

"Don't remind me about that," I muttered. I really didn't want to think about what he was about to do.

_Blossom better be right about this, because if she's wrong, I'm gonna kick her butt._

"It doesn't hurt, you know." The small smile on Butch's face did nothing to soothe my nerves.

"Gee, _that's_ reassuring."

Butch wrapped me in a hug and rested his chin on the top of my head. He was wearing some sort of cologne. I have no idea how to describe the smell, but I know that it fit him perfectly.

"It will hurt for a second, and then you'll fall asleep. Nothing more, nothing less."

"I really don't know about this, Butch." For once in my life, I wasn't trying to talk down to the green Ruff.

I was scared, as much as I hated to admit it.

Butch pressed his lips to my forehead, then my cheek.

"I'll be right here with you, and I'm not going to hurt you. I promise, I'll be here the whole time and nothing bad will happen to you while you're under my care."

I eyed him warily. "You're not going to try to storm Townsville?"

He burst into laughter. "Townsville? You mean that stupid town my brothers and I used to ransack? Nah; my brothers stopped trying to rob that town years ago."

"And you're not gonna try to get in a few cheap shots while I'm, uh, sleeping, are you?"

"No. I'm not like that anymore... And I'm not one for all that lovey-dovey crap," Butch said. "But I... I kind of... Love you."

I felt myself blush. "You love me, huh?"

"A lot." Butch refused to meet my eyes, a gentle smile on his face. I pinched his cheek -not roughly, of course- and grinned.

"So, wittle Butch wikes me, huh?"

"Hey, quit it!" He moved my hand away, chuckling.

We met each other's eyes and neither one of us looked away. I noticed how nice Butch's eyes looked in this particular light.

"So..." he trailed. "How do you feel about me?"

I offered a half-smirk. "Well, as much as I enjoy punching you, I enjoy kissing you even more. So I guess I love you, too."

Butch pressed his lips against mine briefly before he helped me off his lap.

"Come on. The sooner we get this done, the sooner you'll be able to wake up and get used to your new life."

I swallowed thickly.

_Okay. Here goes nothin'._

I made myself comfortable on Butch's bed, grabbing a pillow and holding it close to my chest.

"Just make it quick, alright?"

"No problem."

Butch hovered over me. His lips trailed around my shoulder, then up to my neck. When he finally found a place to bite down, he did so. It hurt for a second before I couldn't feel anything.

Slowly, but surely, blood began to leave my body. I started to feel cold and empty, and I must have looked bad because Butch suddenly stopped.

Before he could do anything else, I closed my eyes and started to drift.

When I opened my eyes again, I could see everything from a third-person view. I could see Butch hovering over my body. He had bit into his wrist and was holding it to my mouth. My fingers, which had been gripping the pillow like a lifeline, relaxed their hold on the soft material.

And that's when I felt the most intense warmth of my life. I went to turn around when I was blinded by a white light.

"Buttercup?"


	39. Chapter 38

**Here you go, everyone!**

**I changed the cover image and I actually drew it myself! What do you think? :D**

**Thank you to all my reviewers!**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 38**

**Bubbles' POV**

"Bubbles."

I opened my eyes. A bright white light invaded my vision, though it didn't blind me.

"Bubbles, can you hear me?"

"Who are you?" I asked. I didn't feel right. The world around me felt light and airy, as if I were floating on a cloud.

"Oh, Bubbles, thank goodness."

"Who are you?" I repeated.

"Wake up, Bubbles. All you have to do is open your eyes and you'll know who I am."

Open my eyes? But I didn't even have a body. I was floating on air; I could feel how weightless I was.

"How do I do that?"

No reply. I tried to open my eyes, but they remained closed.

I tried a few more times before I finally gave up.

"Come on, honey, I know you can do it. Keep trying."

And then, almost magically, my eyes opened.

I was laying on a couch, but not just any couch. I was in the living room of my house, laying on the couch. I was wearing my old blue dress, the blue one with the horizontal black stripe, along with my old tights and Mary-Jane shoes.

I got up and started to walk around. Okay, so my legs were working properly. Why was I laying on the couch? Did I feel sick or something?

The sound of laughter filled my ears. Laughter that was so familiar... Where had I heard that laughter before? It sounded young and high-pitched; carefree.

Were there kids around here?

Pink, green, and light blue blurs danced around the living room.

_Wait... Is that me and my sisters? It sounds like Buttercup and Blossom, and even me!_

Something in my gut told me to go into the kitchen. I obliged, only to find a man leaning over the stove.

He wore a long white lab coat along with black slacks and black boots. His black hair was slicked back in an old-fashioned, stylish way.

My throat closed.

_Oh my God._

The man turned around and gave me the warmest smile I'd ever seen.

"Hi, Bubbles."

"P-Professor?" My voice cracked. "I-is that you?"

"Yes, pumpkin. Now come here and give me a hug; I haven't been able to hug you or your sisters for a while. I miss you three."

I ran up to him and wrapped my arms around him tightly. Professor leaned down and kissed my forehead.

For nights on end, I dreamed that I'd get to hug my daddy one last time, tell him that I loved him and that I would miss him.

Sobs began to shake my shoulders. I hugged him tighter and started to full-out cry.

"Daddy... Why did... Why did you have to die?"

Professor rubbed my back gently.

"Shh, Bubbles, it's all right. Everything is all right now."

"B-but it's not!" I cried. "My sisters and I n-need you! Everything fell apart when you d-died!"

"No, it didn't."

"Yes, it did! Blossom barely s-sleeps anymore and B-Buttercup is always getting into f-fights."

Professor cupped my face and tilted my head up so that I was facing him.

"Bubbles, listen to me," he said softly. "I know that my death was untimely, and believe me, I would have liked to spend the rest of my days with you girls. I love you three so much; when I was younger, I never thought I'd become a father, but I have, and you have no idea how proud I am to be a father to you three little angels."

I sniffled. I noticed how perfect the Professor looked. He must really be an angel in Heaven.

I hoped this wasn't just a crazy dream.

"But my death has brought you three closer. Instead of fighting with each other, you fight _for_ each other; you and your sisters are so much stronger and wiser, now."

His words made a lot of sense. My sisters and I were a lot stronger, now, and we were so much closer to each other than when we were kids.

Kind of sad that our dad's death was the one thing that brought us so close. If he hadn't passed away, we never would have been as close as we are now.

The Professor kissed me on the forehead and then gently led me towards the kitchen table. Hesitantly, I unwrapped my arms from around his waist, terrified that if I let him go, I'd lose him again.

The Professor took a seat and I sat across from him.

I could faintly hear birds chirping. Sunlight streamed through the windows, giving the kitchen a warm, healthy glow.

"Now, Bubbles," he began, folding his hands on the table. "I know about the Rowdyruff Boys."

_Oh no... Is he going to reprimand me for having feelings for Boomer?_

"I realize that you, Blossom, and Buttercup are unsure of what to do. I know that you have feelings for Boomer, and that your sisters have feelings for their respective counterparts. I think it's wonderful that you girls have found love, even if these boys used to be your enemies. I'm not too crazy about the way they originally treated you; pinning you to the ground, knocking you out, hitting you, playing with your emotions -"

I coughed. He smiled.

"Sorry. I only want the best for my girls, and I just wanted to tell you that you have my blessing."

"But what about Blossom and Buttercup?"

"I'm going to speak with them soon," he replied. "But I want you to be able to fly freely. I want you to be happy, Bubbles, not blinded by grief."

Suddenly, the kitchen began to grow fuzzy. I couldn't make out the Professor's features.

"Professor!"

"Live a full and happy life, Bubbles!" he called. "I love you, and please be safe!"

The warm, happy feelings I was feeling were gone, replaced by nothingness.

But next to the nothingness, I felt content. Satisfied.

I was able to see my daddy one last time, and I was able to hug him.

And if he gave me his blessing to be with Boomer, then Boomer must be a really good guy.

_Thank you, Daddy._


	40. Chapter 39

**Hey guys, I know I usually update every day, so I'm sorry this is a day late lol. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, as always! I will try to update sometime tomorrow.**

**To Mystery99: It's OK lol and thank you; carpal tunnel is very painful if you keep pushing the limits, especially like I do, but as short as my chapters may be, I don't wanna just leave my readers without an update, you know? Thank you again for understanding! :)**

**To 101 PrettyKitty: thank you! :)**

**To HautBanane: thank you! And you shall see next chapter! ;P**

**To myasia88: aww, thanks! And I'm sorry if last chapter made you cry, but I'm glad that you liked it! :)**

**To Boa: thank you!**

**To toryflowers14: sometimes, if a deceased loved one tries hard enough, it's believed that they can communicate with their living loved ones to say goodbye if it wasn't said, whether it be through dreams or through other means. It's sort of a way to help the living loved ones find closure and peace. Now that the girls are in this strange state between life and death, the Professor was able to contact them spiritually. Hope this answered your question, and thank you! :D**

**To magarouge26: thank you! I can relate, too, actually...**

**To barfing cupcakes: no problem! Thank YOU for all the lovely, crazy reviews! XD**

**To LuvChipmunkPPG: that's the plan! :)**

**To caitielynnlynn: same! And you got it! :D**

**To Dark Shining Light: thank you!**

**To Shady Breeze: I know what you mean... But sometimes it's hard to say goodbye. I'm sure that whoever you have lost, they know that you love and miss them. You just can't see them, that's all :)**

**I dedicate these 3 chapters (each of the girls saying one last goodbye to the Professor) to those of you who have lost people that you loved dearly.**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 39**

**Blossom's POV**

When I opened my eyes, I was standing in the lab.

My heart clenched. This was another room my sisters and I dared not enter for fear of stirring old, painful memories.

I started to leave the old, dark laboratory when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Blossom."

My eyes began to grow wet at the voice. It took all the strength I had to bite my trembling lower lip and not burst into tears.

"Blossom, it's so good to see you again."

"Professor." My voice cracked, but I didn't care.

I spun on my heel and saw my creator, my _father_, standing next to his desk. He opened his arms and smiled warmly.

Suddenly, all of those walls I had built around my heart, my emotions... They came crashing down, leaving nothing but raw, pain-filled rubble in their wake.

I scrambled over to him, tears running down my cheeks, and wrapped my arms around him.

"You h-have no... No idea how much I've m-missed you..." I managed to get out before the sobs took over. The grief and the pain that had been bottled up was overflowing. I was crying so hard that I couldn't breathe properly.

"Easy, Blossom, it's okay. I'm here now." The Professor patted my back and held me closely, occasionally moving hair out of my face.

When I had finally calmed myself down, Professor let go of me to retrieve a box of tissues. He offered me one and I took a few, muttering an apology.

"Don't apologize, sweetheart; you've been holding all these feelings in for years. You had to release them sooner or later."

I dried my eyes. "I know... I hate crying, though."

And then it hit me.

"Professor, am I dead?"

"Not quite. I simply pulled your spirit here for a few moments. I wanted to talk to you a little bit before you wake up."

He led me upstairs to the kitchen. For a split second, I could see Bubbles sitting at the table, her blue eyes wide with surprise, but she vanished into thin air.

"I-is Bubbles here?" I asked.

"She was. I was able to talk to her for a little while before her soul began to return to her body. She should be waking up soon."

I sat down in the chair next to where Bubbles had been sitting and the Professor sat across from me.

"Now, Blossom, I've been watching over you and your sisters," Professor said. "And I know about the Rowdyruff Boys. I know that they've given you quite a bit of trouble lately."

I nodded solemnly. I wanted to sit here and talk to my father forever, but I wasn't naive.

_How much time do I have to talk to him?_

"I know that Brick, your male counterpart and the leader of the Rowdyruffs, has his heart set on you, and I know that you will soon wake up as a vampire."

I nodded again.

"Blossom, do you have feelings for him?"

"Will I be in trouble if I say that I do?" I asked. I loved the Professor dearly and I didn't want to spend this precious time with him being scolded for feeling the things I feel.

"No. You can be completely honest."

With a deep breath, I replied, "Well, yes. I do like Brick more than I should. I think... I think I love him."

The Professor nodded, a small smile on his face. "Then if you choose to be with him, know that you have my blessing."

That surprised me. "But Professor, you've seen how the Rowdyruffs have been acting. Aren't you concerned that Brick might try to hurt me if we get married?"

He shook his head. "I can tell that those boys aren't as evil as they make themselves out to be. Brick does hold a lot of anger in him, as that was what Mojo was feeling when he mixed the snips, snails, puppy dog tails, and the makeshift Chemical X, but it's the type of anger that can be released through talking, not violence. Both of you are quite intelligent and you are very similar; I think you would both make a good couple."

If the Professor was giving me his blessing and he believed in Brick so strongly, then I trusted his judgement.

"Will I ever get to see you again?" I asked. The Professor nodded.

"I believe so, but not for a while," he replied. "You have so much to see and do in your life before we can see each other again. You have a lot of potential, Blossom, and that goes for your sisters as well. I want you to know that no matter how you're feeling, I'm always here and I'm always watching out for you. Just because you can't always see me does not mean I am not there."

Suddenly, the world began to grow fuzzy. I lifted my arm to reach out to the Professor, only to feel my body melting away into nothing.

"Professor!" I screamed. Even my voice sounded strange and distant.

"Good luck, Blossom!" I heard him call. "I love you, and take care of yourself!"

As I began to return to the dark, empty place that was currently my mind, I couldn't help but think about the Professor's words.

When I thought of being there, in that kitchen with him, sitting and talking like old times, it was fuzzy.

But I know it was real, and I know that the Professor would never give me his blessing to do something unless he meant it.

As I slowly began to awaken, only one thought registered in my mind.

_Professor, I'll do the best I can to stay happy and take care of myself... And when the day finally comes, I can't wait to see you again._


	41. Chapter 40

**This is the final chapter! Hope you guys enjoy! :)**

**To caitielynnlynn: aww, thank you! :D**

**A great big hug to Orioles1997 for not only being an awesome writer, but for being a great friend. Thanks a bunch, dude! :D**

**And virtual hugs to all of you for supporting this story! I hope that when the sequel comes out, that you guys will love it just as much as you like this story!**

**I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! :)**

**I don't own the PPGs.**

* * *

**Chapter 40**

**Buttercup's POV**

"Buttercup."

I began to panic.

_Where am I? How the hell did I get here? Am I dead?_

The air around me felt light and warm. It was like I was in some sort of protective bubble.

"Buttercup, can you hear me?"

"Who are you?" I asked. My voice was unusually calm. Usually I would add a little more attitude to let the person know I wasn't the type to take anyone's shit.

"Open your eyes, Buttercup, and you'll know who I am."

I did so and I was surprised to find myself laying on something soft.

I sat up and looked around only to find that I was in my bedroom. I was laying on the bed.

My head was swimming. Why was I back in my room?

Suddenly, the slight smell of chemicals, mild cologne, and antiseptic wafted through the room.

_I know that smell..._

Hopping off the bed, I began to make my way downstairs, where I assumed the smell was coming from.

"Hello?" I called. The living room was completely empty, but the entire outside world wasn't. When I walked closer to get a better look, I could see three blurs playing on the front lawn, each of them different colors. One was blue, another pink, and the last one green.

_Wait... Are those my sisters? But how can I be out there when I'm here...?_

"Buttercup."

I jumped, startled at how close the voice sounded. I turned around only to see the one person I had trusted all my secrets to, the person I loved almost more than I loved my sisters.

"P-Professor?"

He smiled, reaching down to ruffle my hair affectionately.

"How are you, kiddo?"

"I... Well... You..." I didn't know what to say. What do you say when someone you love and miss so much is suddenly right in front of you? I mean, when you have so much you want to tell them, what do you tell them first?

I took a deep breath. "I... I'm okay. B-but am I dead?"

"No. I called you here to talk to you."

_Okay, so I'm not dead. So far so good._

"Oh... B-but how? You... You died, Professor."

He nodded. "I did, but even in death, I still try to look out for you and your sisters. I figured out a way to call each of you here so that I could talk to each of you privately."

I bit my lip. "You already talked to Bubbles and Blossom, huh?"

Professor nodded again.

"So it's my turn, then."

I didn't hesitate to run up to the Professor and give him a bear hug.

"I miss you so much," I said into his lab coat. "You have no idea what we've gone through since you died. Things have been so crazy, what with transferring to Citysville High, the popular kids, the constant mockery of our super powers, the Rowdyruff Boys -"

"I know, Buttercup. I know all about what happened after I died."

Tears started to well up in my eyes.

"Why did you have to die so suddenly? We needed you. _I_ needed you!"

Professor hugged me back just as tightly. I started to cry into his shoulder, just like I used to do whenever I was upset.

"Sweetheart, it was never my intention to die. If I could have it my way, I would still be with you and your sisters, even if it meant giving up everything else I love. But accidents happen, and unfortunately, I had to part with you girls earlier than expected."

I pulled back and angrily wiped my tears away. I hated crying; crying was what Bubbles did, and I wasn't Bubbles.

Professor smiled gently. "You know that I still love you, don't you?"

"Of course," I replied, sniffling. "You're my dad."

He took my hand and led me towards the couch. We both sat down, the Professor wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Listen, Buttercup," he said. "I don't have much time to speak with you, but I want you to know that I'm aware of what the Rowdyruff Boys have been doing. I also know about your feelings for Butch, and vice versa."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he shook his head. I huffed and looked away, not wanting to give the Professor an inkling that it was the truth.

I was in love with my insane counterpart and there was nothing I could do to make it go away.

"Now, I know that you're not the type of girl to talk about relationships or how you feel," he continued. "But you and I both know that you like Butch, and I just wanted to tell you that if you choose to marry him, then you have my blessing."

_Blessing?_

I turned back to stare at the Professor.

"You... You want me to marry him?"

My father nodded. "If that is what you decide, then yes. I think he's a good match for you. When you are with him, you seem to be happier, even when you two are arguing. I've noticed that you even enjoy the little arguments you two have, and while I don't care for the way you two get into physical fights, I know that Butch truly cares for you."

To say that I was speechless would be an understatement.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well... I trust you. All right then, I'll give him a chance."

"And Buttercup?"

I looked up. The Professor smiled warmly.

"I know that you miss our afternoon chats; I miss them, too. But know that if you ever need to talk, I may not be able to reply, but I will hear you and I will listen."

He pressed his lips to my forehead. The world around me began to grow fuzzier and fuzzier with every second until I could no longer see anything.

"Professor, what's happening?"

"You're waking up," he replied. "I'm sorry, honey, but our time is up. I love you, and please take care of yourself!"

"I love you, too!" I tried to yell, but I didn't think the Professor heard me.

I didn't even have time to comprehend what had just happened. As soon as the world faded to black and I was back in my own mind, I could hear Butch calling my name.

"Buttercup?

I was waking up.

I was a vampire.


End file.
